Every morning, I burn an incense stick to remember my dad.
We have Family Buddhist altars at home, it’s upstairs.
And I have a separate small space on the sill of a window in my kitchen.
Dad’s wrist watch is stored as a keepsake, which I bought for him a few years ago.
Changed the wrist belt from rubber to leather as he preferred.
It’s a kind of traditional morning routine that I have learned from my grandma.
Every morning, she woke up and to burn an incense and to pray for grandpa. She had been doing that for 30 years.
When I heard a sound of ORIN “チーン” I was able to know that grandma is awake and fine.
After grandma passed away, my mom had been doing the same for my dad, as dad’s eye sight was not well and it was hard for him to light an incense.
Now my mom is changing water in teacups for grandpa, grandma and dad in the morning. Sometimes burns an incense but not always, because Chobi is running around and he would knock an ash pot.
By having this kind of quiet moment in the morning, I am able to think of dad, grandparents and why I was born.
It takes only a minute and another special day begins.
Boiled apple 