Life’s Beautiful Tragedy
Daniella Schoen (Huntington High School)
It was a beautiful April day. The sun was shining, and there was a slight breeze. I can remember it as
if it were yesterday. Walking hand in hand with my dad as we meandered around the National Cherry
Blossom Festival in Washington DC. I can remember the sense of pure happiness I felt as we strolled along
the path, with big beautiful bright pink and white flowery trees as they draped over us. There were people
everywhere, and not one person I saw did not have a smile on their face. Children laughing, birds chirping,
music playing and people picnicking beneath the breathtaking trees. The whole scenery was breathtaking. It
wasn't until the encounter my dad and I had that I truly understood what exactly the festival was about and
why it was such a big deal.

My dad and I were just parading along, admiring everything around us, until we met this wise old
man who forever changed my life. He kindly approached us and introduced himself as Akito. Before I
knew it he began explaining to me the significance of the day. He explained to me that the beautiful trees
were known as a Cherry Blossoms and that they were the national flower of his country Japan. He then
began to unfold the truth about the flower and what made it so special to him and his country. He began
"For hundreds of years, the Japanese culture has looked at the cherry blossom as a representation of life.

But first you must understand one thing before you can truly fathom what exactly I mean." To be honest,
when he first started by saying “For hundreds of years.” I immediately thought that he was going to give
me mini lesson on Japan's history and I started to lose interest. I think he sensed what I was feeling because
he quickly assured me before he continued that I would learn a life lesson and he would not bore me. He
then continued by first explaining to me that the cherry blossom trees only bloom for a short time each
year. Before I knew it he reached up and picked a flower off the tree and placed it behind my ear. “You
see?” he questioned. “Look around you, all the happiness among the air and how beautiful it looks.” I took
a second and glanced all around me. He was right. He continued, “The cherry blossom represents how
fragile life is and how the beauty of it. Just like the tree, life is overwhelmingly beautiful but tragically
short. So each year when the tree blossoms it’s a reminder of how precious life truly is.” I just stood there
for a while, soaking in what he said. His last and final words to us were, "Just remember how short life is
and to appreciate the beautiful aspects of it." I reached out, hugged him and thanked him for what he had
shared with me. I could tell he wasn’t expecting that reaction from me, he was pleased and after I let him
go, he smiled and was on his merry way.

Akito truly touched my heart and reminded me how thankful I was for everything I had and everyone
in my life. After he left, my dad leaned over and whispered to me that the cherry blossoms were his favorite
tree. He told me that I reminded him of the tree because I was just as beautiful as the flowers. I spent the
rest of that day with my dad walking around, treasuring every second with him. I was so jubilant, that I was
able to spend such an exquisite day with my dad, it was an experience I will never forget. Akito taught me
to not take life for granted.

A few years passed and I was once again reminded of the cherry blossom tree. But in this case it was
unfortunate. My dad had passed away. All I could think about was how he now reminded me of the tree.

The time I shared with my dad was beautiful and I cherish every moment I ever had with him but Akito was
right. Life is tragically short. Little did I know the long lasting effect Japanese culture would have on me.

Between the life lesson Akito taught me and my dad passing on, I truly appreciate the cherry blossom tree
and everything it represents. Which is why the cherry blossom is and will forever be my favorite tree.

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Tokyo Kareem
Qire Snowden (West Babylon High School)
My Godfather Kareem used to live in Japan for a few years. He taught English at a Junior High
School and said it was one of the best experiences of his life. Once a week he would also teach at an
elementary school. I asked him what he taught the students, and he shared most of his lessons with me. I
knew it would be a blessing to adapt to the Japanese language and wondered if I could learn those same
words. Knowing it would take some time to remember most of the language, Kareem would spend hours
with me teaching me about Japanese. He would not only teach me the language but also tell me a lot about
the culture of Japan and what it was like living there. He told me that Japan culture was diverse from other
places and was widely known for its traditional arts. Along with teaching, Kareem also loved the music he
had discovered while staying in Japan. Kareem lived in Chiba-ken, which is like the New Jersey of Tokyo,
but he would hang out in Tokyo often. This is where Kareem got his nickname “Tokyo Kareem”. He would
go to Hip Hop and R&B clubs and make friends with the Japanese people that also enjoyed Hip Hop and
R&B music. Kareem went on to meet one of his greatest friends today, Masayuki. He met Masayuki at a
Hip Hop club named “Harlem” which is ironic because Kareem’s birth place was Harlem, New York. It
made me wonder how Kareem and Masayuki had become friends. He told me that they had a common
interest in music. I was introduced to Masayuki at Kareem’s wedding where he would later on share with
me some of his experiences in Japan. I had no idea that Japanese people listened to the same music as I like
to listen to. This is when I realized that Japanese arts & culture are often represented in Urban/Black arts &
culture and vice versa. Masayuki happened to be a producer who also enjoyed listening to Hip Hop and
R&B. Using music as their common denominator, Masayuki and Kareem used the song lyrics to teach each
other English and Japan respectively. Kareem said that he was amazed and inspired by Masayuki’s
dedication and commitment to learning the meanings and that motivated him to study Japanese harder. My
Godfather Kareem told me that he incorporated the Japanese work ethic and dedication to his studies.

When he returned to New York, he continued to study Japanese and started his first business coordinating
tours and translations. Masayuki and several of his Japanese friends came to New York to visit as tourist
and when people would see Kareem speaking Japanese to them, they simply called him “Tokyo Kareem”.

Then, he realized that people were asking his friends from Japan about their clothing because they
appreciated their style. The Japanese brands like Evisu, A Bathing Ape and UNIQLO became just as
popular in Urban/Black culture as the Urban/Black music is over in Japan. There appears to be traces of
Japanese culture in many elements of Urban/Black arts, from fashion to music. Kareem inspired me by
showing me that you could learn more than one language and how important it is to understand other
cultures. 91