Three years ago today I was traveling in Japan with my mother.

Far away from the noise, rancor, and 24-hour news cycle providing non-stop pre- and post-US-presidential election news and prognostication, I was grateful to be in a country where respect, politeness, and generosity are paramount.

Mom was invited to give a talk about Japanese-American incarceration during WWII. Although she has given this talk countless times (many recently with which I have assisted), this would be her first talk completely in Japanese and to an all-Japanese audience.

What a fascinating opportunity it was, and we enthusiastically accepted the invitation.

I wrote about the experience on my other blog. You can read the account here.

Given three years’ hindsight, some of my closing comments sound naive and ring hollow. Regardless, this is one of the most memorable experiences of my trips to Japan, and one for which I am deeply grateful.