Sunday, July 26, 2020

Andrew Torii

Dear Andrew,

Yesterday we gathered at our parents‘ house to celebrate your 30th birthday together. Our parents had a private mass in the backyard and then we just hung out after. I was feeling sad because I always miss you and sometimes can’t believe it has been 10 years. I wish we could celebrate our 6 days apart birthdays together. But, it was nice to be together amongst all the flowers and bees and butterflies that have taken over the backyard. I felt Grandma’s presence and feel that she is watching over all of us.

Today, Ana told me about the last time she spoke to you, which was at my graduation party about 7 months before you left. She said you showed her and Caesar photographs you had taken and printed. She said you were excited about them. She said she often thinks of you. I am always struck by how my friends share that they think of you and send you well wishes regularly. Even friends who have never met you because I met them after you left. All that to say, I’m forever proud to be your sister.

I hope your birthday this year brought you that same excitement and pride. That experience of loving something so much that it just spills out of you. I hope you are surrounded by love and good things. I hope you know that we love you so much it spills out of us. I will never stop hoping to see you again. We will never stop loving you.

Happy birthday!

Love,
Lara 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thinking of Andrew today. I went to high school with him and think about him all the time. I remember he had such a generous and gentle spirit, even as young as we were back then. Truly one-of-a-kind human and just a genuinely, effortlessly cool dude too. Sending strength and love to him and you both.