Spring Is Just Around The Corner

Blossoms will soon appear

Cherry blossoms signal the spring time

It has been a difficult year with the COVID-19 pandemic causing so many drastic changes to life as it once was. So many people have been ill, and many have died. Businesses have been closed. People have not been able to see loved ones as often. Many people are working from home. Crowds were to be avoided. Socializing has not been easy. Many people lost jobs and suffered financial losses. Millions filed for unemployment. It has been a difficult time.

A year ago the pandemic was just beginning. No one could have expected that it would go on this long, and it is not over yet.

Last spring came and went without fanfare. This year may be more of the same. The flowers will bloom, but life has not improved that much since the pandemic began. Everyone is anxious for the pandemic to end.

When the coronavirus first showed up in the United States in early 2020, Donald Trump said it would be gone when the warm weather came. That did not happen. Now spring is approaching again. The pandemic has not gone away, but spring can still be enjoyed. The beauties of nature will come. The sun will shine, and the flowers will bloom.

Spring is the time for blossoms and new beginnings. Hopefully, this spring will be more enjoyable than the last. With the prospect of the pandemic ending as the vaccine is being rolled out in record numbers, spring should bring hope for a brighter future.

Cherry blossoms are generally a huge tourist attraction in Washington, D.C. During the thirteen years that we lived there, the beautiful blossoms were always a highlight of the spring. We saw them everyday during the short season which was approximately two weeks long. Cherry trees grace many neighborhoods in the entire capital area as well as in certain tourist spots.

There is a triangular piece of land close to Union Station and the Capitol in Washington, D.C. It is called The National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism. It was erected in memory of the 800 plus American soldiers of Japanese heritage who lost their lives while fighting for the United States during World War II. It also commemorates the story of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated in ten camps during that period of time. They had been removed from their homes on the West Coast and imprisoned in camps simply because of their ethnic heritage. Most were American citizens. It was an egregious act against the Constitution of the United States. It was caused by racism.

It is said that sometimes members of Congress and others who work at the nation’s Capitol will go to that monument to sit in the peace and tranquility of the area. Special programs are held there including a Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk and Ceremony (which will be virtual this year). Cherry trees surround the monument.

The cherry blossoms are a symbol of the friendship between the United States and Japan. Many of the trees were gifts from Japan.

The Utah State Capitol building in Salt Lake City is also graced by cherry trees. What used to be a small row of trees in front of the Capitol now is a pathway of cherry trees which surround the Capitol. It is a beautiful sight to behold in the spring when the blossoms are out in full bloom.

We are now fortunate to live very close to the capitol in Salt Lake City so we are able to thoroughly enjoy the cherry blossoms. I encourage anyone who has the chance to see the cherry blossom trees in any area to do so. They bring a lot of beauty to life and to the world in the spring season.

[Thank you for reading. If you would like to receive a free ebook of speeches and articles which tell much of the history of Japanese Americans, send an email to: [email protected]. Put “Book Request” in the subject line. The book is: The Japanese American Story As Told Through A Collection of Speeches and Articles. www.thejapaneseamericanstory.com]