Hello Naiomi-chan, I hope you are staying well and finding enjoyment in daily life wherever your path has led you.
I wanted to thank you for all your work, but especially for sharing the story of your relationship with Viola. I grew up in an area in Los Angeles (a little ways away from Viola’s home in Silver Lake) where there was a sizable Japanese American community. Many of my friends’ parents had similar life stories as you described Viola’s family history.
I am grateful to you for sharing your adoptive Grandmother with us and for the warm flood of nostalgia that I felt personally…and I am thankful FOR YOU and your beaming strength of character and courage to speak your truth always and shine a light on all the injustice, exploitation and blatant persecution permeating our world today.
Thanks very much for all that you do. You are well appreciated each and every day!
Hi Michael, how sweet of you to leave me such a beautiful comment. I am so moved to read your words, I have a tear in my eye reading this! Are you still living in LA? Thank you again so much. <3
So lovely to hear from you! I’m happy to know my little comment may have brought a little joy to your day and perhaps a smile to your face as well.
Your writing has brought me more comfort than you could know…along with a sense of common understanding that seems to be so very rarely encountered and increasingly difficult to find these days.
You truly are a treasure trove of tender authenticity. Thank you so much for sharing your natural talent, clear vision and unfettered honesty.
I am currently in the process of relocating to a small town in Boulder County Colorado, but will be visiting LA sporadically throughout the year…and hoping to make it back to Europe later in the autumn to reconnect with some old friends too.
Are you back in London now or have you chosen to pass the colder, wetter months in warmer, sunnier locales somewhere in coastal California or Catalunya??!!
Wherever you are, I hope you are feeling healthy, happy and enjoying day after lovely day with friends and family.
Thank you kindly for this beautiful, heartfelt tribute. I shed tears reading this - it is so resonant and timely. I did not have the chance to really know my grandparents but they often come to teach me things and spend time with me in dreams. I've found getting to know the elders in my community such a heart filling experience. They are so precious. The relevance of the connections between then and now is so poignant. May we always remember.
This is so beautiful. Such a tender time captured exquisitely. Well done to you for getting these words down and honoring Vi, her legacy, and your friendship so perfectly. Thank you.
Omg Naomi. What have we done to deserve you. This piece fed me where I didn't know I was hungry. What a gorgeous retelling of a beautiful relationship and a complicated history. Tears ran down my face as I sat at my work place desk chair. Thank you so much. I'm sure Jonathan will be so grateful to you for capturing this side of his Grammy.
With so much heaviness in the world and on our feeds, your heartfelt writing meant more to me now than ever. Thank you x
Alex, I know this is over a year late, but rereading your comment now brings tears to my eyes. Thank you for leaving it, and sorry it took me so long to reply! Sending so much love.
The feeling of a “do over” as you mentioned, sounds so healing to me, as someone who also no longer has any living blood related elders (with only one Japanese grandmother to start)
Finding that connection to your ancestry as an adult sounds so special 🤍
Hello Naiomi-chan, I hope you are staying well and finding enjoyment in daily life wherever your path has led you.
I wanted to thank you for all your work, but especially for sharing the story of your relationship with Viola. I grew up in an area in Los Angeles (a little ways away from Viola’s home in Silver Lake) where there was a sizable Japanese American community. Many of my friends’ parents had similar life stories as you described Viola’s family history.
I am grateful to you for sharing your adoptive Grandmother with us and for the warm flood of nostalgia that I felt personally…and I am thankful FOR YOU and your beaming strength of character and courage to speak your truth always and shine a light on all the injustice, exploitation and blatant persecution permeating our world today.
Thanks very much for all that you do. You are well appreciated each and every day!
Hi Michael, how sweet of you to leave me such a beautiful comment. I am so moved to read your words, I have a tear in my eye reading this! Are you still living in LA? Thank you again so much. <3
Hello Naomi,
So lovely to hear from you! I’m happy to know my little comment may have brought a little joy to your day and perhaps a smile to your face as well.
Your writing has brought me more comfort than you could know…along with a sense of common understanding that seems to be so very rarely encountered and increasingly difficult to find these days.
You truly are a treasure trove of tender authenticity. Thank you so much for sharing your natural talent, clear vision and unfettered honesty.
I am currently in the process of relocating to a small town in Boulder County Colorado, but will be visiting LA sporadically throughout the year…and hoping to make it back to Europe later in the autumn to reconnect with some old friends too.
Are you back in London now or have you chosen to pass the colder, wetter months in warmer, sunnier locales somewhere in coastal California or Catalunya??!!
Wherever you are, I hope you are feeling healthy, happy and enjoying day after lovely day with friends and family.
Take good care out there!
Thank you kindly for this beautiful, heartfelt tribute. I shed tears reading this - it is so resonant and timely. I did not have the chance to really know my grandparents but they often come to teach me things and spend time with me in dreams. I've found getting to know the elders in my community such a heart filling experience. They are so precious. The relevance of the connections between then and now is so poignant. May we always remember.
thank you so much for this beautiful and meaningful comment, felt it in my bones. May we always remember them! <3
Beautiful writing, thank you for sharing this and I’m so sorry for your loss 🩷
This is so beautiful. Such a tender time captured exquisitely. Well done to you for getting these words down and honoring Vi, her legacy, and your friendship so perfectly. Thank you.
thank you so much for your words and for reading Maria!
Omg Naomi. What have we done to deserve you. This piece fed me where I didn't know I was hungry. What a gorgeous retelling of a beautiful relationship and a complicated history. Tears ran down my face as I sat at my work place desk chair. Thank you so much. I'm sure Jonathan will be so grateful to you for capturing this side of his Grammy.
With so much heaviness in the world and on our feeds, your heartfelt writing meant more to me now than ever. Thank you x
Alex, I know this is over a year late, but rereading your comment now brings tears to my eyes. Thank you for leaving it, and sorry it took me so long to reply! Sending so much love.
Never too late!! Appreciate everything you are and do x
Thanks so much for sharing this Naomi
The feeling of a “do over” as you mentioned, sounds so healing to me, as someone who also no longer has any living blood related elders (with only one Japanese grandmother to start)
Finding that connection to your ancestry as an adult sounds so special 🤍
thanks so much for your words Meredith <3333
💔