Remembering Sakurafubuki (the falling blossoms)

After more than a month away, I emailed Sensei to ask about future class dates and learned that there would be class today.  I didn't confirm I would be there given the fact that we had a rehearsal at HPAC in the afternoon and I thought I might need to practice in the morning.

But I came, and when I arrived Sensei had faithfully carried my piece that she had displayed in the exhibit last month, while I was in America.  And with it, was a long letter in English, explaining several details about the exhibit and that I could purchase the frame in which Sensei had set my work for very little.  Sensei doesn't speak much English and I certainly don't speak much Japanese, so I imagine she had her husband write a note to explain the situation to me.  It was beautiful, and just another extension of her kindness.  It's so exciting to have this memento from my time in the class.

It was also the last class of one of my friends.  She'll be starting a job in an orchestra elsewhere in Japan.  I have a few more classes ahead of me, but it was the beginning of the taste of the end and the many inevitable goodbyes that will happen.