no 6

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Welcome. Have you accidentally looked into the sun or bright light, and then looked away, the image burned into your eyelids? That’s an afterimage.

In the last installment of Afterimage, I shared about intentional partnership in love and at work, and a new way of DTR (defining-- and refining the relationship). I wrote about listening for what your body's asking to be fed, and a recipe for my favorite Balinese elixir, turmeric jamu.

Here's what I saw, heard, and sensed that have stayed with me this past week. I hope this postcard connects us, from where I am, to where you are. A start of a conversation. Let's begin.

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Taste: The Sun

On Monday, it was suddenly 26°C (71°F), up from 10°C (50°F) two days ago. That’s crazy unusual. We had warmer weather than Tokyo. It’s so rare, it was mentioned on the news. As far as weather and climate are concerned, we have more in common with Siberia than we do with Tokyo. Our cherry blossoms arrive 5 weeks later than Tokyo. Sometimes, we have both petals and snow flurrying in May.

I had my weekly appointment with the doctor. I’ve committed to an unwise and delightful winter habit of picking up pastries at the bakery next door to his office. With weather that could only be described as glorious, I decided to take my croissant to Maruyama Park. I drove toward the park until I remembered something: I have a garden at home. The cherry trees are in full bloom. I could have my croissant under the cloud of cherry blossoms and surrounded by daffodils. At home. With good coffee.

Last year, I spent so much time away from home, I hardly saw the garden. I never really experienced the house and everything it offered until last month. I was always somewhere else, traveling to meet my now ex-partner outside of Japan, traveling to get home, or stuck in quarantine in a third location. When I was home, my mind was spread over four different time zones, and my partner in a fifth. Entire seasons changed during my absences from the house. My daughter is my steady and welcome anchor to home. But since we spend most of our time in the kitchen, the garden remained friendly and familiar, but not close. A little like the neighbor I wave to almost every day, but haven’t gotten to know that well.

Now, with no partner to think about, no planes, no trips ahead, I can be here. I can enjoy being home, and watch the seasons change. I’m allowed to enjoy it.

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I arrived home. I put the coffee on. The croissant was slightly less warm than before. I sat on the terrace. The warmth of the sun on my face. The cool shadow. The good espresso. I took a sip. My mind wandered.
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I know this sun. It’s the same one that kissed me in Ischia. Ischia, with the church right on the water, and the restaurant in the basement. The restaurant where I tasted octopus without soy sauce for the first time. The octopus salad with celery– was it fennel? Potatoes, garlic, parsley. Lots of olive oil. My best friend from art school had gotten married there.

I called my friend on her +39 number. We spoke about the octopus salad and the church. About her twentieth wedding anniversary this weekend. Our brothers’ divorces. I texted my brother in New York. He was preparing to fly to Frankfurt. We chatted while he packed.

That day, I traveled to Ischia. To the Adriatic, to New York, to Frankfurt. I connected with people who matter to me. Feeling and noticing the sun on my face gave me everything.

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Connecting to: Why Afterimage

Some things are like water. They rush by me, swiftly into the past. Afterimage is a practice of witnessing what stays and lingers. Usually, it’s something I’m processing, adjusting to, and making sense of. While Afterimage is about seeing the world through my senses, it's not an observation log. It's actually a practice in observation, so we can think more clearly and have a better understanding of what we feel, rather than being at the whim of our minds and emotions.

Here’s a short essay, On Afterimage, where I share more about why I write this newsletter.

I’m curious how you experience Afterimage. What have you seen, heard, sensed, and what stays with you beyond the week?

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Your thoughts fuel mine.

Tell me what you're thinking about. Dreaming about. And what exactly you're doing about the thing you've been dreaming about.

Capture some images. Savor afterimages.

Have a great weekend.

Akiko

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Thanks for reading!

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