Definition of the Japanese word komorebi: There are three important parts to this word: 木 (ko) meaning tree, 漏れ (more) meaning to escape from, and 日 (bi) meaning sun. Together, the characters mean something like “sunlight filtering through trees.
My father served in the army during World War II, stationed in New Guinea, the Philippines, and finally in the occupation forces in Japan. In Japan, his assignment was to work with the leadership of a local company, helping them to rebuild and reconstruct their capacity. When my father's military term of duty ended, the president of the company gave my father this wonderful wood carving. It stayed in a place of honor in my parent's living room and later, in their apartment until my mother passed away in 2023.
I now have this statue in my home. In the very late afternoon, when the sun filters through the trees and the plants of the small pond in my yard, different parts of the statue are highlighted. The waning light is projected through the ever-moving leaves of bamboo, pine and water lilies. The last light of this day has come 90 million miles to create a shimmering show of silhouetted patterns on and around the statue.
To me, the komorebi illuminates the story of a war and the diverse people who were brought together and ultimately found peace, beauty and joy on this earth.
Every day, komorebi helps remind me of an important legacy.
