For the past few years, I did not think of reflecting publicly at the year end. This year, the timing was perfect that most of my work was completed at the beginning of December which allowed me to spend time working on the school exams and the term paper. Having had this luxury of time also gave me the courage to reflect publicly.
My sons, Kenzo and Kanta are both home for the holidays. When they were little, I used to cuddle them. I used to call Shinji (the oldest son) our wind of happiness, Kenzo our sun, Kanta our star of hope. They appear to be growing up to become what they were called. This year was significant to all of them in many ways, but my happiness is that they are walking the path they chose. Kenzo appears to have met the love of his life this year, which is the greatest happiness for me. My husband, my friends and work partners gave me so much joy. Dan and Tim the cats came to us as kittens in June, and they are now part of our family. Work was plentiful and perfect because they were challenging and they paid for our living. The biggest theme I worked with this year was on seafood sustainability. My ultimate interest is not seafood. I care about seafood sustainability because I want the people I care about and their heir and friends to be happy and prosperous for generations to come. 2013 was a great year, but I would not have felt as complete without all the hard work I put in studying Psychology as a student at Penn State, and run/walk the total of 1,200 km. The education will last the lifetime. Healthy body is the base for life itself.
Thank you. To those of you whom I have known as well as those of you whom I have never met. We are all connected to each other in some ways, through direct friendship, through things we consume or services we use.
FUJIKO SUDA 