Category Archives: Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap

Japan: A Day in the Life

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We went to Minakami, which means “many gods” or “all the gods in one place” depending on who you talk to, because Amelia has a friend from her church who long ago befriended a potter named Euan Craig. Craig is an Australian man who has long lived in Japan, first studying and now teaching the art form.

Minakami is a little off the beaten path, home to an artistic village that brings tourists in the summer and feels quiet in the off season. Think of the Arts Walk section of Asheville, but not so big. Lots of fruit orchards in Minakami as well, some cherry, some apple.

Euan made us cappuccino in his beautiful house (1870s, traditional Japan style with sliding doors and all) full of pottery. He and Amelia talked about their mutual friend Alexis, who at age 91 felt he couldn’t make the trip to see Euan. Alexis and Euan have never met face to face, just corresponded for years online.  

Euan gave Amelia a small mug to take back to Alexis, and told us bits and pieces of his (Euan’s) life story. At age 14 he made a list of things he did and didn’t want from his life and career. From this list his options whittled down to being a potter, so off he went to learn the art form. A few chance encounters sent him overseas, and a few friendships enabled him to study with a master potter or two.

Euan was very intentional about his life. He knew what he wanted and invested the time, money, and relationships to learn to do it. Some people are straight line go-getters, some are gentle curves, and some are squiggles—they set out in the straight line but get distracted into something else. Fairly often, that something else turns out to be wonderful, but sometimes it ties itself in a knot and chokes their dreams out of them.

There’s not one way to get life right, of course, but those who discover themselves early get a lot of credit for not letting anything knock them off course. More power to them, and that’s an awesome way to live. Euan’s house radiates peace and contentment, like his cat.

Oddly enough, Euan’s life set me to thinking about Brian, one of my favorite doctors. First he was a mail carrier. Then he was a stay at home dad. Then he decided to take the MCAT (the exam to get into medical school) some time in his thirties. Now he’s one of the best medical providers in Appalachia.

Some people go straight there, Some people circle. Some people meander. Perhaps those who double back on themselves look a little less focused, not so much winners as wanderers. This strikes me as too simplistic. Getting knocked off course can be miserable; of course it can. But the misery doesn’t need to be self-depreciation or absorbing other people’s “you’re HOW old and you’re just starting?” Here’s a shout out to the people who enjoy the journey, be it linear or arcing, long or short. Euan and Brian each wound up in a place of contented fulfillment, enriching the lives of others. Isn’t that the joy of the journey?

Trixie Weighs In – all 13 pounds of her

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Right, people, listen up. Some of you may not know me. My name is Trixie and I’m in charge around here.

I am the emotional support dog attached to Wendy Welch. By which I mean, Wendy is my emotional support human. I have a few… neuroses, shall we say. Wendy helps me with my anxiety.

People ask, was I a rescue, because I am so anxious. Those people are clearly not well-informed on current events. If you’re not anxious, you’re not paying attention.

I work with Wendy at some food bank stuff. Once a week she goes to this place where people line up outside like an hour beforehand. And there’s a big guy with a big husky. The guy is really nice to me, but the husky has said some rude things I don’t appreciate. Mom puts my leash under a table leg and everybody talks nice to me. But it’s still a bit taxing on my nerves. So many people wanting to pet me, saying how cute I am. A dog likes to be taken seriously. Like the big husky barking her fool head off across the parking lot. (She has to wait over there because she doesn’t volunteer with the warehouse, see.) Nobody ever calls HER cute….

I can live with cute, though, when it comes to the other place with the food. Wendy works with a bunch of med students once a month. They cook meals for people in a rent-controlled housing facility. Everybody at the facility loves me. Naturally. When they call me cute, they slip me scraps of the chicken gumbo or whatever the med students are cooking. And when the students play ball with the kids, I get to play too. It’s fun to run around at the housing complex. It is a quarter mile to walk around the whole sidewalk circling the place, and I have run this MANY times with a group of kids. Once a bunch of people chased me because I slipped my harness. Good times.

So, it’s not all bad having an emotional support human. I’ll tell you more secrets later. For now, stay warm out there. I have a winter coat attached to me, but you people have to assemble yourselves to go out. That thing with your feet, weird. But do what you need to do. It’s all good.