Under the cherry blossoms he was my sensei. He was the reason I left my successful career and my homeland. Below the cherry tree, he taught me how to clear my mind, discover tranquility and inner happiness. For him, I travelled to Japan to accomplish zen and learn how to love myself again. I learnt […]

Our newest student stood shyly at the front of the class and introduced herself. ‘My name is Cherry Blossom,’ she said. Ben Adams smirked and began to snigger. I knew the whole class would quickly follow so gave him ‘the look’, a stare I’d perfected over three decades of teaching, with the power of silencing […]

Today, I bought an umbrella. I stood outside the store staring through the glass pane for what seemed like hours. The cherry blossoms dotted on the transparent plastic pulled me down to the depths of my consciousness, where I never attempted to approach, for fear of being lost forever. My temples ached in protest as […]

I ride across the meadow as the sun crests the horizon, rising into the morning sky, tinting the early morning mist with a soft rosy glow. It is a beautiful morning, only the birdsong, the pounding beats of Abraxas’ hooves and the huffs of his breath break the silence as we canter towards the gentle […]

I grew up in Japan amid majestic mountains and vales. Our manor-house was paradise to me with colourful flower garden, birds, and insects.  I used to saunter around the serpentine corridors, intricate passageways, spiralling arches, and the tiny flower garden of the country-house on quiet afternoons when Granny took a nap. My grandfather had died […]

The park has been quiet lately. Regular visitors to the small coffee shop in the corner of the park have been hesitant to go out in public since the pandemic started a year earlier. Life slowed down. Each venture outside was deliberate. Olivia and Akina sipped their coffees slowly, taking in the surroundings, appreciating the […]

Jamie knew that scowl, she had seen it many times since John had returned from Asia. She had even researched and found a condition called “reverse culture shock” that can occur when people return home from overseas after many years. Now she wondered what happened to her old friend. Maybe if she could reach him, […]

It has been five years since I last saw him. He asked me to do the same knot. My hands were shaking a bit, so it took me five minutes to do it. I opened the small closet and searched for the flowery dress. It was still there and fitted me perfectly. One last control […]

Beneath the bough of a cherry tree a child is conceived and, within a year lies buried beneath the same tree.  She weeps at the grave – heartbroken – while cherry blossoms rain down as tears on the scene.   He struggles – she turns away – he pleads – she says she will let him […]

 The first time you proposed, I laughed. But then, we were all of eight years old. Cherry blossoms fell like confetti and my dress was lacy and white, save for grass-scuffed knees and the missing bow that we’d tied to the top of our maple tree fort. The second time you proposed, we both wept. […]

The phone rang, and Walt looked at his wife, Nan, who had insisted they keep the landline. Just in case Theo ever tried to call.  Walt answered. “Gwen, it’s good to hear from you.”  “You sound well, Dad.” She paused.  “How’s mom?” “She agreed to an outing. A picnic under the cherry blossoms. Where we […]

It was with a sigh of relief that he entered the warm, dry and quiet shuttle bus and sat down on a seat. The ice-cold, windy and rainy morning had chilled him to the bones.While waiting for his flight at Stockholm airport, a memory from the morning came back to his mind. His wife had […]