Cookies and Thoughts

Well, it's been a while.  Sorry.  That darn thing called life keeps getting in the way.  I'm apologizing on the front end for the stream of consciousness that is coming, but work with me people.  Ok?

I've been working on a cookie order the last couple of days, and in my cookie decorating room, it's only me and my thoughts.  See, my cookie decorating room is commonly referred to as the dining room in most homes, but in ours, it's the "office/piano/'please get that old record player out'/cookie decorating" room. It also has no stereo, tv, noise...you get the picture.  And that's ok, because I'm very thankful to have a house, but it also leaves me way too much time to think.

First, today is December 7, Pearl Harbor day.  I was blessed to have a history major father, who happened to take us to the memorial when I was a wee child (4 or 5--leave me alone.  I'm doing good to remember the day).  Believe it or not, I remember the memorial well.  I will get back to that fateful day, but for now, I head to something more recent in history during December: the birthday of a friend taken all too soon by the vicious disease, cancer.

"M" was a beautiful person, inside and out, and I was so very blessed to have known her.  I also know that there are many others who feel the same way.  While here, rummaging around this earth, "M" and her husband, "B",  adopted a gorgeous boy from Russia.  It wasn't the easiest of adoptions, but they fought for their son, and in the end, got to bring him home.  He couldn't have looked more like "M", and that still amazes me.  Adoption is a beautiful thing and in many cases gives children in very desperate situations a chance to have wonderful, loving parents.  Taking the gift of adoption, "M", and Pearl Harbor, I head to the cookie order.  I warned you people...stream of consciousness in a quiet room.

I was asked by a co-worker/church member/friend if I could make some cookies for a party her younger daughter was having for a friend that is moving soon.  See, the friend's daughter is adopted from China, and the daughter's friend, who is moving with her family, is from Japan.  Note: As far as I know, the Japanese girl is not adopted.  Now is where I mention that a side note popped into my head at this point in the "stream".  In my co-worker's class, she has two gorgeous girls, who happen to be adopted also: (forgive me if I don't quite get the adoption places correct) one from Africa and one from China.  Back to the order, the co-worker asked if maybe I could figure out a Japanese symbol for Good Luck, love...something that I could put on the cookies. 

 No figuring anything out here, because I went straight to the best source for that info, my friend Chitose. Chi is from Japan, teaches Japanese at a nearby university, and someone I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.  She sent several ideas, and I admit, I went with the one I thought I'd screw up the least.  As I was adding the Japanese symbol to the cookies on Pearl Harbor day, it almost felt weird, and then, the whole "stream" thing started and led to this:  

So many people lost their lives that day, so many years ago.  We came together, petty differences aside, to do what we could to bring peace in the world. There was Hiroshima, and I'm sure there are many around the world affected from that act also. Years have past, though, and we need not forget these acts, and people lost, but learn from them.  I know when the typhoon hit Japan last year, so many in the US came to their aid immediately, and personally, my family's thoughts went straight to Chitose's family and also the families of friends my "M" has made here.  The world is getting smaller and smaller, folks.  Beautiful children, getting a chance at a better life, sometimes in a new country; people from all over the world, moving "all over the world" and maybe even in your backyard.  We, as adults, should be examples of love, as Christ loved, but sometimes, we get hung up on the differences.  It's time we learn from those who came before us and the children, all the children, you know from Russia, China, Africa, Japan, Mississippi, wherever...and be a friend.

(What I hope is a semi-decent job of the symbol for "friend" in Japanese.)