THE MOON ALSO RISES

When we lived in Spain, where Kasumi was born,we lived without electricity, and at night I used to tell time by the constellations as I've mentioned in here somewhere. From that time on I always made a conscious effort to keep Kasumi and Kitaya aware of the moon as they were growing up, its phases and changes; we were the kind of family that any one of us might rush outdoors suddenly and yell: "Look at the MOON!!" But as we all lived through the years on our ways, and the kids into their own lives and ways, had this moon passion gone on with them? Had it been passed on?

I never really even knew I'd wondered about that until, on a cloudy afternoon not long ago in late December, Echo and I and Kaya and the twins Mitsuki and Miasa were riding along in Kasumi's van, with Kasumi driving. Miasa and I were in the far back seat together, when suddenly Miasa said: "The moon!" I leaned over and looked out her window: there, fleeting among the clouds was the slightly past-half moon, hard to see in mid-sky.

I was deeply impressed, not only with Miasa's noticing the moon while were on our extremely kid-exciting way to the library, but at her remarking upon a private observation, at her knowing that the moon was important enough to mention aloud, to call everyone's attention to in mid-day to look at and see, no matter what big adventures we were all on our way to.

Looking at her with admiration, I said "Tensai!" [Intelligent!] And though Miasa is just three years old, she smiled a sudden smile of such knowing pride as to inform me that I had way underestimated her knowledge of herself and her awareness of the moon: she knew very well her intelligence, and she knew to appreciate the moon, yet was delighted to hear someone else acknowledge the fact, and respect her observation.

So Kasumi, all this time living way up north as a new mother, has been keeping her daughters aware of the moon... What a pleasure that was to learn, in this way.

It was all worth it; even better, it will go on beyond me...