「すめばみやこ」
（ことわざ）
"Sumeba miyako" is a Japanese proverb (kotowaza) that means something like "Wherever you live is home."
ただいま！ (tadaima)
I'm home!
Tomorrow, I will be 21 years old.
I can hardly believe it, but after 21 years of life, I'm in a good place. I made it to the milestone of adulthood so revered in American culture, and like I often do, I'm taking this time to look inward (before I go have an AWESOME weekend!) and thinking about my life. Last night, I considered the circumstances that have led me to reside in this little green valley of Kakuma-machi in Kanazawa, Japan, how it came to pass that I lead the life I lead, and who I am as a person. I've learned a lot about balance and form, and though I had a hard week this week with lots of study, my birthday weekend will soon begin. I'm beginning to feel my Japanese skills improving, and every day I learn something new. There are some truly amazing people here, and spending time with them makes everything else I do here better. I'm catching up on work, I have great plans for the future, and I'm developing my routine. With the traveling I've done recently, the proverb that titles this post has become my way of life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Life is good.
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Alex, as someone who has known and loved you your whole life, I am immensely proud of your accomplishments and especially of who you are as a person. You are an articulate, compassionate, curious, loving, interesting, passionate, challenging, honest, thoughtful, talented, wondrous young man. I love how you challenge yourself, and explore life's nuances and little corners. Being 21 while a big deal in our culture, is just another step along life's winding path, or 道! Keep on enjoying every one of them. Happy birthday! Love, Dad
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