Wait, Stillness

The wait, the grief, the mourning and now a stillness.  

This will be the first Mother's Day without my ochaa-san.

She gave me so, so much.

No matter what I made she thought it was beautiful.

She bragged about me to everyone. (I must admit it embarrassed me at times.)

Told them I was a wonderful daughter and artist. 

Even as I grew older, rounder and more gray-haired than her.

To me, I was only a good daughter who needed to take her shopping at the Japanese market in San Francisco.

That my nori-maki rolling skill was not bad.

She told me to wake up to joy no matter what happened the day before.

You only get 5 minutes to feel sorry for yourself while you brush your teeth.

 and always remember:

fall seven times get up eight

work hard

and pay attention to life.

Wait, Stillness, 24" x  12" x 9", ceramic, porcelain parts, glazes