Wings of Resilience: A Daughter's Healing Odyssey
Brighton, England represents a semblance of liberation for the spirit within this region. The Brighton Royal Pavilion, commissioned by King George IV, showcases a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles and artifacts. The king sought solace in this place as a form of retreat, where he could freely express his true self. ©Jade Kayo Miki
For twenty years, my mother and I navigated life’s storms together. She worked tirelessly to support us, traveling across Taiwan in search of the right specialists and ultimately bringing me to Japan for treatment.
Her determination turned each hospital visit into a curated journey: she planned stops at Tokyo’s cultural landmarks, wove our medical appointments into Tokyo Disney outings, and even dressed me in a tiny Mickey Mouse outfit as we explored hospital corridors. After consultations, she treated me to hearty meals—believing that even if perfect health was out of reach, good nutrition was nonnegotiable. I still remember the precision of the Caucasian chefs slicing sashimi and the faint scent of sake on their hands.
Our budget was slim. We once lived in a cramped apartment overrun by cockroaches—a truth she never hid from me, even though I was nearly blind. We shared one bowl of ramen, my mother always slipping extra corn into mine, until the day I lost a tooth mid-meal and we spent the afternoon hunting for it instead of eating.
As a child, I thrilled at the thought of reaching Osaka’s Namba Station, tugging at her coat and asking, “Okaasan, where to next?” She indulged my wonder, leading us to Takashimaya’s evening food market, where 7 pm discounts felt like treasure hunts of flavor.
Growing up alongside her sacrifices taught me that a mother’s greatest ambition is to see her child smile. Those years—equal parts sweetness and tension—wove a tapestry of memories that soothed our emotional wounds as my sight gradually sharpened. There was no singular “miracle” moment, no sudden flash of clarity. Instead, it was my mother’s unwavering faith—her conviction that one day I would see—that became our guiding light, and slowly, the universe delivered.
