Happy 95th Birthday, Grandma!

It felt not that long ago when we had the honor of celebrating the 94th birthday of Fumi-san, the grandmother of our Ms. Yuri.

A year has gone by so fast. Fumi-san just turned 95. She still lives by herself in the same house where she was married. And, she will not have it any other way.

Fumi-san looks as elegant and beautiful as ever, and we were happy that she came to our office for a private celebration. We talked about so many different things. Fumi-san was so surprised when we told her that last year we had received emails and messages from our customers around the world wishing her well.

We asked her if she had made a birthday wish this year. She said the thought hadn’t crossed her mind — because she has everything she needs.

Then she paused. She said that this year, just like for the past 32 years, she has kept asking Nobuo-san, her departed husband, to lower a rope from the Heavens to pull her up next to him. But alas, she said, he never listens.

A gentle smile lit up her face. She seemed content to believe that everything is fine with Nobou-san. He never listened to her anyway, and he is still the same, she mused.

This is fine by us. Heaven can wait. Fumi-san is loved and needed too much right here.

Happy 95th birthday, grandma!

Fumi-san is in the center, Ms. Yuri is to the left. To the right is Kyoko-san, Ms. Yuri’s mother (and Fumi-san’s daughter).