Dear Yoshiko

Punched in the stomach.

I am still unable to process this entirely. I get to a point where the reality is sort of obstructed… blocked by memories of the struggles of last semester, the tension fueled by how personally unengaged you were. It was as if you didn’t ever really exist… And then I think about how strong you were for carrying on. I think about what you kept to yourself. It all made sense: everything from sharing your legal status obligations with us, randomly dropping comments on sports and Manny Pacquiao, bringing your mother to our review to leaving your book with me because it was too heavy for you to carry home. You could not be more human… What happened today has somehow humanized you to me… or helped me truly understand that you were just another lady, going through a tough time, making a living… only you were not just another lady; you were a secret… genius. You changed our lives. That’s when I truly realize how special our time was with you. Invaluable. And completely out of 1st semester luck. We were your last class after 12 years. I’d like to think that we are your legacy. We need to remember that. Please know that you will not be forgotten. You make everything so real. Life has cheated you. You have left us all feeling uncertain.

Obit> Yoshiko Sato, 1960-2012: Architect offered inspiration from a lifetime of learning.

Vimeo> Michael Morris and Yoshiko Sato.

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