Gantan - New Year's Day

 

We made it today to the Tsubaki Shrine (a Japanese Shinto Shrine in Granite Falls) to give a prayer for good health and luck in the new year.  It's an annual tradition I am trying to hold so adamantly and almost failed this year since Sean was upset he had to stop watching a recorded football game and that made Noah cry hysterically for what seemed like an eternity.  Of course that was too much to handle and Mike offered to stay home with Noah and Sean.  In the end we all loaded up in the van and once on the road, everyone was at peace.

Mike wore his fancy suits and a tie which made the rest of us look sloppy, so the girls and I dressed up for the occasion.  The shrine is about an hour north of Bellevue and located on the river by Lake Stevens.  It's a beautiful place with moss covered ancient trees and deep green of the forest.  The rustic wooden Japanese style building matches well with the surrounding and it reminds me of the temples and shrines back home.   How not to feel peaceful in a setting like this?  Mike and I used to practice Aikido in college and we came to this very place back in the day for a spring training camp.  The head priest, Mr. Barish, is an interesting guy and I had an extraordinary experience spending a weekend there.  Who would have guessed I will be returning here 17 years later with four children?

Noah had to be strapped in the stroller since he would be climbing the sacred stones or jumping into the freezing river as soon as set loose.  He whined and whined the last time we came, but he was very good today, silent as a bug sitting nicely on the stroller.  I prayed that the children stay healthy and that Noah in particular makes a good progress this year.  Maybe we will be stroller free by the next visit.  The double jogger is making my girls lazy to walk and I very much would like to sell it soon. 

Look at this magnificent ancient tree!  In Shinto religion, we believe God is in the nature everywhere.  The mountains are sacred, trees, rivers, rocks, the sun, house superior being within and we are to care and respect them to preserve the world harmony.  I am not a Shintoist, but I grew up with their beliefs, solidly embedded in my everyday life.  I wish to teach my children the same in the way I can.  Nature is to be respected and that in many ways Seattlites are in sync with.

The children enjoyed throwing the rocks into the pristine stream behind the shrine.  Who can throw it across to the rock wall?  I tried and didn't make it.  The kids kept trying and trying, but they only could throw as far as the mid point.  Maybe sometime I will take the kids to a river nearby so that they can throw rocks for hours.  I am sure they would like that and make me very popular.

What I want to achieve this year is to be more patient and be the type of person who makes others happy.  I feel like everything else would follow.  I love my family and I will do anything to help them be the best person they can be.  I want to have a quick wit and sharp eyes to see what is important.  Choosing the right words and attitude at the right time.  I am hoping to get a hang of it this year and conquer my shortcomings.  I waited long enough!

 

We had a nice New Year's Day dinner at my house with Nana.  I used my new Fagor pressure cooker I got for Christmas.  It's shabby and does the job well.  It's a fancy European made cookery and quite an upgrade from the $40 pressure cooker I burnt last year.  I, however, went too aggressive with seasonings and the ribs were too salty.  Disappointment!  My nice Mother-in-law and husband ate all their share and like I said they are very nice! 

 

We had a very good New Year despite the sweat inducing stressful start.  If today symbolizes how the year is going to turn out like some people believe in Japan, I think it is going be a good year.  I don't mind a little drama as long as it ends happy.

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you had a good start to this brand new year!