When the hurt is too much.

My friend Richard just left, off to do some more work in other parts of the country before he returns to Japan. Leaving is tough at the best of times, but in his case, to come here hurt, then so did being here and now leaving brings even more pain. It just doesn’t seem fair to me, when someone builds their life in a place, puts down some roots, does everything right, and then the decisions of others tear all that down in an instant. He is right, he should be here, he should have the job and it isn’t his fault his life fell apart.
Whatever is right and wrong, the last few weeks have been hard. Here I am with everything he wants, everything he deserves, and he is right, it is impossible for me to understand what he is feeling right now. I can only imagine. If I had not got the grant, if I had not come home, if I had been forced to build a life somewhere else, but not through any choice of my own.

All I can hope now is that he remembers the beauty of this place and that time may help to heal the pain and lessen the anger. More than ever though I hope for the opportunity for him to return.

He is right, we need him as much as he needs to be here.