LAS FOTOGRAFIAS Y MEMORIAS   by Beth Castillo-Winsor November-December Issue 2006 One of the saddest and yet fascinating things about the cold season is the shedding of the leaves. One day they are all there in their vibrant green colour and then they somehow change into different hues of yellow, red, orange and brown. Then before you know it, they're all on the ground and there is nothing left on the once-lush tree. I used to think of it as only a sad phenomenon. There is nothing left to enjoy with the tree except for its dreary dry branches. But if you think about it, there is also beauty in it. If you look at the trees with their intertwined branches reaching up to the skies, you begin to realize that its emptiness is deceiving, and that there is something awesome in the withered tree. Without the distraction of colour, you can now see the intricate patterns on the trunk. You can learn to appreciate the texture of the branches. When the leaves fall, it's only because they are making way for a different kind of sight waiting to be seen. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. If we let ourselves see beyond what is normally deemed as beautiful, we will be amazed that there really is more than meets the eye. September-October Issue 2006 "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything."    -- Muhammad Ali "Las Fotografias" has moved. For five and a half years, Tokyo has been home to me. Last month, I packed my bags and moved to London, England with my husband. My last days in Tokyo was bitter-sweet at best and gut-wrenching at worst. I was excited to start a new chapter in our lives in a new place, but I was also unbelievably sad to leave everyone and everything else that has become familiar and comfortable. Saying goodbye to Japan was like saying goodbye to a lover. The love affair had to end but there is still that tug in your heart, knowing that you will always love him and a musing — whether you will ever see him again. But although I have left and can no longer show you my Japan through my camera lens, allow me to show you my new life in my new home, England. A scone and a cup of tea, anyone? July - August Issue 2006 "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything." --Muhammad Ali Independence and self-reliance are two traits that are considered strengths in today's modern age. If you can brave through the raging seas on your own or conquer the highest mountain by yourself, you are considered a success or an epitome of greatness. While it is admittedly impressive and praise-worthy to be able to hurdle a challenge single-handedly, have we, as a society, put too much worth on being alone? Companionship, in my own opinion, is an underrated treasure that a lot of people have sadly taken for granted. Nevertheless, its unpopularity doesn't diminish its true value. There is great joy in sharing an experience with another. There is indescribable satisfaction in going through life with a companion. There is a never-ending pleasure when you walk the road with someone. There is an unspeakable wisdom in living even life's smallest moments with a friend. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ May-June Issue 2006 " We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing." -- Anonymous There is something nostalgic about watching children play. When I hear them laughing, I also hear an echo from my past. I hear my own giggles and remember my own games. When I see them playing with their toys, I see images from years before. I can feel the worn dresses of my rag dolls and remember what their names were. I don't always go back to my childhood memories. But when I do, it is always a welcome respite. Life as an adult, with its inherent responsibilities and promised rewards, can be challenging at best and exhausting at worst. But it's a life we all must live, a path we all must take. It's a game we all must play and an experience we all must go through. And when we do live the adult life, it is so easy to be distracted by the urgent things we need to do and the serious goals we need to accomplish. When that happens, we forget to laugh and play. And when we forget, it's when we grow old and feel old. This is the best time to remember. Now is the time to play. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March-April Issue 2006 " Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."  - Rainer Maria Rilke The coming of spring brings in the blossoming of flowers and the re-appearance of life and activity in the animal and plant world. Suddenly, bare trees become awash with vibrant green leaves and buds that promise the beginning of new life. Some animals also wake up from a long slumber to welcome the new season. Springtime always translates to a fresh start. And there is nothing as refreshing, nothing as liberating, and nothing as welcoming as the new beginnings spring provides. Spring has been one of my favourite seasons in Japan. It marks the end of the cold and dreary winter which I am not very fond of and ushers in the season which brings with it a warmer climate and much more colourful surroundings. I like it because it reminds me so much of hope. We all go through winters of the heart when everything seems to be lifeless and drab, but spring reminds us that it will not be so forever. Before long, gardens will come alive once again and so will the distraught heart. This is not just the time for a new season. This is also the time for new beginnings in life. If it's going to be as spectacular as the fresh blossoms that we will surely see, let's make sure to enjoy every passing minute of it. January-February 2006 Issue Filipinos and Japanese people welcome the New Year with a flurry of superstitions and traditions that they believe dictate their fortune in the coming year. In the Philippines, we do things such as prepare twelve round-shaped fruits and eat them at New Year's eve, wear polka-dotted clothes, put coins in your pockets and jump as high as you can (apparently, this will make you grow taller in the coming year!). In Japan, they greet the toshigami (god of the New Year) by cleaning and decorating their houses. They also hang a straw rope with white strips of paper on their doorways to ward off evil spirits. The Japanese also refrain from working on the first three days of the year because it is believed that the ganjitsu - the first day of the New Year - will determine how the rest of the year will go.   All these superstitions and traditions from both countries aim for the same thing: a guarantee that evil spirits will stay away from you and the hope that good fortune will come your way. I wonder if this is the best way to face the new year. Instead of having a fearful attitude towards evil spirits that may cause you and your family misfortune, isn't it better to face the future with a proactive attitude and be responsible for your choices and decisions? Instead of hoping for good luck and fortune to be abundant this new year, isn't it better to take control of your actions, work harder and make sure that you get what you want? Instead of worrying what the whole year would be like, isn't it better to just enjoy one day at a time, and face the coming of the New Year with a smile and a positive outlook?   I think so.   Here's to a fabulous 2006 for all of us! ----------------------------------------------------------------- ISSUE: November-December 2005 Their heads were bowed as they waited and listened to the old wise man in front of them. He was facing the altar and was softly chanting a mysterious prayer which they could barely hear. But they believed he was a holy man and he was communing with the divine. They asked him to intercede for them. They came to seek guidance and they were hopeful that this robe-clad man will help them find the way. This is a common sight in many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan. People seeking for advice regarding important matters in their lives. On some days, you will find families wanting to know which house to move into, the one which will bring them good luck. Other days, you will see students in earnest prayer just before their examinations. There's the businessman lighting incense sticks and earnestly asking for good luck in his new business venture. Sometimes, you will find couples asking for direction on the luckiest day on the calendar to set their wedding date. I wonder sometimes what makes people cling to their faith. I wonder what it is that makes people believe in what they believe in. Is it the promise of an answered prayer? Is it the mystery behind the ceremonies, such as the chanting, the lighting of candles or the offering of gifts? Is it the experience of fulfilled wishes in the past? Is it the wisdom and holiness portrayed by the person dressed in religious garments? Or is it knowing the character of the One you call God? Humans will always falter and fall. Traditions will always change. Wishes and desires will not last a lifetime. Feelings and emotions will be here today and be gone by tomorrow. But the character of Christ, the One I call God, will never change. He has promised to remain the same from the beginning until the end. For this reason, I believe and have faith. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ISSUE: September-October 2005 Monday morning, 7:33 a.m. Once more, I find myself waiting in line for my train at the platform of the train station. There are about ten other people in front me. The train comes and the doors open to reveal people already crammed inside like sardines in a can. I shake my head and wonder how I, and the ten other people in front of me, could even fit in. But wonder of wonders, we do. Inside the train, people are standing so close to each other that I can actually feel somebody breathing down my neck. I also feel somebody else's elbow painfully jabbing my back and still another person's foot crushing one of mine. This is the common experience of commuters during rush hours in trains and subways in Tokyo. It could be very uncomfortable because of the huge crowds but there are very good reasons for the popularity of trains here. Tokyo has one of the most reputable and finest public transport systems in the world. The trains are not only mostly clean, efficient and affordable, but train stations are also located everywhere, thus making them very convenient. Monday afternoon, 3:11 p.m. I find myself at a different train station, standing at a different platform for a different train. The platform is quite empty with only a few people waiting for their ride. I hear the announcement on the loudspeaker saying that the train is approaching. The doors open and I get in an almost empty car. I sit down, take out a book from my bag and start reading. Now, this wasn't as bad as the morning ride. When it's quiet like this, the train ride becomes not just a mere train ride. Suddenly, it becomes a pleasant and relaxing journey.