 |
| figure 1 |
Just left Japan, I'm about 6 miles above the
Pacific Ocean right now.
The last time I was in Japan, it was the summer
before college. This time, the
summer before med school. So the
next time.. vacation before residency?
A lot has changed since that last time I was in
Japan - I survived college and turned into a passable adult. Some combination of running, making
friends, and studying did the trick.
Sidenote - I think endlessly repeating this three step cycle is what
turned me into a passable adult (figure 1).
Anyways, being in Japan for the first time as an
adult, it's made me realize how much I'm like my family.
--
The most obvious place to start.
My dad, who hasn't been a huge part of my life
since my parents got divorced about fifteen years ago, is an MD/PhD that loves
science. He's a physician that
studies and teaches Molecular Biology (my major at Kenyon), and he loves thinking about how to
do good science.
--
Jobs of family on my dad's side:
doctor, nurse, nurse, nurse, doctor, vet, vet,
vet
Medicine is in my blood.
--
I read a little bit of my (mom's side)
grandfather's memoir, which he wrote partly because he was bored in retirement,
and partly to leave advice to his children and grandchildren.
My Japanese is degrading every day.. but his
memoir reminded me of sidenote. He thought incredibly seriously about life, and
believed it was about people and relationships.
He loved the poem "youth" by Samuel
Ullman
 |
| Tokyo, in the midst of the busiest intersection in the world |
"youth is not a time of life
it is a state of mind
..
it is a matter of the will
a quality of the imagination
..
youth means adventure over ease
..
years may wrinkle the skin
but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the
soul.."
I would have loved to have been friends with my
grandfather, had beers, and talked life with him.
speaking of which..
--
My cousin Satoshi and I were born six days
apart. Since we're so close in
age, we were paired up whenever I came to Japan. I hadn't seen him in about six years, but after sitting down
for coffee.. I saw a the influence
of grandfather Mouri in both of us.
 |
| satoshi and ken |
He's shy, but he thinks relationships are the
most important thing in the world.
At the same time, he doesn't have Facebook because being so connected to
the world is too exhausting.
He majored in philosophy because he wanted to be
friends with the kind of people who stroke their chin hairs and ask,
"Why?"
He wants to have a 9 to 5 job so he can
spend the rest of his time reading, thinking, and writing his memoir.
--
The moral.. you can't escape your family, even if you jump continents and go to Ohio/Portland/Charleston.
From my dad's side - medicine. And my mom's side -
philosophizing.
I was born to be a physician-writer.
See you on the other side,
from
ken
Is anyone else having problems with the comment box?
ReplyDeletefrom ken
In fact, your great great grandfather on my mom's side was a doctor and even before him there was a doctor for a "govenor" in Edo period ih her family, my mom's uncle was a doctor. So it's no surprise that you would be a doctor. :)
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