Ten Thousand Joys and Sorrows

It is Wednesday, which is the day I usually do my little writing to send out. As I sit in front of my computer and ponder what I’m going to say today, I can’t help but think about the loss of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and the other families on board of that helicopter. I don’t want to write about it because everybody else is, but it feels like that’s what’s on my mind and many others today — 3 days after the tragedy. I am not much of a sports enthusiast and don’t really follow them, but I did once worked as a translator for a sports agent who once represented Kobe. On one of the assignments, I interpreted for his father, Joe, who was hired to coach a Japanese basketball team. I had a chance then to ask him why he named his son, “Kobe.” He indeed told me “Kobe” after “Kobe beef” which is strong and tender. Strong and tender he was from all the tribute I hear about him.

As so many people are feeling and saying out loud, life is so precious. Each moment we have with our loved ones; with this earth; with anything is a gift. I have had opportunities in the last couple of weeks to babysit my granddaughter, London, who just turned 20-months old. At that stage, she’s growing and changing so rapidly that literally every moment is amazingly precious. Her little smiles and laughter melts my heart with joy. And we tend to take such precious moments for granted until something like “that” hits us in an unexpected moment. I don’t want to sound cliché, yet I can’t help it. I must remind myself everyday to be present for whatever happens: good or bad. There are ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows in life, as Buddha put it. I want to be awake for all of them.