Anniversary

Ah, the light scent of spring cherry blossoms swirls through air as their soft pink pedals slip off the dark twisted branches, carpeting the landscape beneath the baby blue sky. In every direction therein lie the signs of Allah. As the Qur’an reveals, "He is the One who sends down from the sky water, whereby We produce all kinds of plants. We produce from the green material multitudes of complex grains, palm trees with hanging clusters, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranate; fruits that are similar, yet dissimilar. Note their fruits as they grow and ripen. These are signs for people who believe.” (06:99).


One year ago, today, by Allah’s grace, Tsugumi and I entered the marriage covenant. In celebration of our first year together, we enjoyed an afternoon strolling through the herb garden that overlooks the city of Kobe. I packed some fruit along with a couple of peanut butter and jam sandwiches for us to share outside under the clear blue skies. Many of the perennials remained closed while those on the trees were in their final bloom. I suppose in some ways this is symbolic of the love we share for one another; like lovers’ arms outstretched, much of the wider beauty has already been revealed while the smaller, more intricate aspects of our love will open in time.

We commemorated our special day at Umenohanna, an exquisite restaurant overlooking the bay from eight flights up. It was a wonderful ending to a fabulous day as we sat together enjoying the widest selection of tofu dishes I’ve ever experienced. I’ll miss being away next year, insha’Allah, but I’m also looking forward to what lies ahead. I pray that Allah continues to bless us and that our love for each other continues to blossom and grow. Ameen.