After reading the inspiring book, The Element in the bath on the Saturday morning, this story popped up out of my heart. I would love to make some collage based on this story later.
Sakura’s Christmas
Sakura lost her dad when she was only 3 years old. She was
born in Seattle in the United States of America. But her mom decided to come
back to Japan when Sakura’s dad passed away. Her mom said,
“Sakura, we will go back to my home country and be with our
family.” Sakura was not happy about saying good-bye to all of her friends and
wonderful neighbors. But she liked the idea of being with her family.
Sakura lived with her funny grandpa, loving grandma, two
playful uncles and mom. Sakura was a happy girl loved by everyone of her
family.
As soon as she got into a nursery school nearby her
grandparents’ house, she made some good friends. The neighbors welcomed her and
her mom and everything was just fine. Sakura stopped crying missing her dad
little by little.
One cold winter morning, Sakura’s grandma asked her,
「さくちゃん、クリスマスには何をお願いするの?」
「えっとね〜。」
Sakura hesitated to tell grandma her wish.
「なにかな〜？」
「う〜ん。あのね。」
She looked at her grandma in the eyes and asked,
「サンタさんって本当にいるの？」
「もちろんよ。」
「さくのお願いは叶えてかなえてくれるの？」
「さくちゃんは、いい子だもん。かなえてくれるわよ。」
「なんでも。」
「そうね。サンタさんにお手紙書いてみたら？」
Sakura smiled and nodded excitedly.
She wrote a letter to Santa and put it in a envelope. She
handed it to her mom and said,
「ママ、サンタさんに手紙だしておいて。」
At that time, Sakura has already forgotten her mother
tongue, English. Her mom was sad and wanted her to speak it again. Her mom
tried to talk with her in English but Sakura stopped speaking in English back. So,
her mom got an idea.
“Did you write in English, Saku?”
“Hah? 何で？”
“well, Santa can’t read Japanese, can’t he? He is from North
Pole.”
“Oh…どうしよう。書けないよ”
“ I can help you out.”
“OK!”
So, Sakura started practicing alphabet and got much better.
She asked her mum how to say some of phrases in English such
as I wish to see. But she did not tell her mom who she wants to see for
Christmas.
Her mom thought it would be Stitch from Disney channel.
Sakura loved Stitch at that time.
After a few days of practice, Sakura managed to write a
letter to Santa.
She handed it to her mom and said,
「ママ、じゃあ、サンタさんに出しておいてね。」
On the night, her mom opened the letter and it said,
Dear Santa,
Merry Christmas. Last year. Present. Thank you.
I wish to see dad for Christmas.
I am good.
Thank you.
Love
Sakura
“Oh, my, my.”
Her mom sighed. She had no idea what to do with Sakura’s
wish.
She did not make Sakura sad on Christmas day.
She walked around her bedroom and thought about it. But she
did not get any good ideas. So, she asked her family what to do.
Grandpa shrugged his shoulders. Grandma shed in tears. It
was one of Sakura’s uncles, Hiro gave her mom a good idea,
「手紙を書けば？パパからって。」
「そうだよね。いいね。そうしよう。クリスマスだもん。」
So, her mom came up what to write. The other uncle, Yoshi volunteered
to write it down on a Christmas card.
On the night before Christmas, Sakura’s mom sneaked into her
bedroom and put the card under her pillow. She also put a little bracelet in a
little box next to the pillow.
Next morning, Sakura’s family was got up by a big cheerful
shout.
「ママ！おばあちゃん！おじいちゃん！見て！見て！パパからプレゼント。サンタさんが持って来てくれたの！」
Sakura showed the card and the present from her dad. She
wore the bracelet around her wrist.
“Thank you.” She mumbled. The card says:
Dear my girl, Sakura
Thank you for your request for Santa to see me again on the
special day.
He promised me to deliver this letter to you on the
Christmas Day.
I was so happy to hear that you still remember me and think
of me.
I am so sorry not to tell you this before. I am always with
you, Sakura.
When you need me, I am there next to you. You may not see me
but I am there. You may be able to feel me if you try. I am so glad and proud
that you have made some friends and helped your mom to go back to Japan. You
have learned Japanese so quickly. I wish I could understand what you say. But
for me, just watching you grow is a gift. I am sorry that I can’t hug you like
other dads. But please remember I am always with you.
Love
Dad
It was all written in English. But Sakura could read “dad”.
She did not ask her mom what it was written. It was a message from her dad to
her. She wanted to read it on her own. She used her mom’s old dictionary to
understand the message. It took her very long time to get the message. She
asked her mom what “always” and “be with you” mean. When her mom told her it
means, 「いつも一緒だよ。」,
she was so happy and felt as if her dad was there.
From the Christmas, Sakura always gets a card from her dad
with a little present. Sakura became a big girl but she never questioned if
Santa is real. For her, the Christmas card and a present from dad is Santa, the
love. Once a year, on a Christmas day, a special gift will be delivered to you.
That is if you believe in love.
