Our love of words

My love of words runs in my genes.  I remember clearly seeing my grandmother in her recliner reading Gloria Steinem's autobiography.  I also remember the combination of shock and pride I felt knowing no other woman in her circle of friends would dare read such a book.  My mother is a poet and a writer.  Our family's love of poetry skipped a generation (e.g. me) and went straight to my son.  I much prefer long, drawn out stories (so long as they're interesting) as opposed to the cryptic musings of Emily Dickenson and Homer.

My work has been about words.  I take pride in being able to repeat the words of others in the way they were intended.  That's my interpretation of my interpreting skills, but I stand by it.  I like knowing I convey the speaker's meaning as well as his or her words.  This is what largely plays into my frustration in not having been able to find the right words to express what I saw and experienced in Iwate.

But, this post is not about that.  This post is about my husband.  While in Japan, I bought the CD Songs for Japan, a compilation of many artists' songs.  I just started listening to the two CDs over the past several days.  One of the songs is by Queen.  I'm not much of a Queen fan but this song has hit a nerve.

Teo Toriatte, or Let Us Cling Together is simply beautiful.  The lyrics speak to me and for my love for my husband.  That part of the lyrics are in Japanese, a simple, elegant and accurate translation of the English poetry only adds to the depth of feeling the song conveys.

I said several weeks ago that my husband does not "let" me do things.  We don't operate that way.  The long leash we have given each other is a gift we give to the other.  This time, however, I leave for Japan with a sense he is truly "letting me go."  It was he who said even while I was still in Japan last month that I clearly needed to go back, and soon.

I go back to Japan with a profound sense of responsibility to take the words of others I've been given and come home at peace with this gift.  I will do everything I can to find the words, channeling my mother and son if I have to, to write strong, honest posts about who I have become as a result of my experiences.  All this while I'm doing this, I will sing Let Us Cling Together in my head and think of my husband.