What small things I worry about...

Just notified that another uncle has suddenly died. That is two uncles and one aunt in less than three years. My mother has no surviving siblings now. I can only imagine how hard this has been on her.

As with the uncle who died last year---11 months ago---I had not seen him for years. I have rarely been home in the last 12 years, living and working in Washington state, then coming to Japan. It has now been nearly 24 years since I left home. I know I should get back more, and always plan to do so every fall for Thanksgiving or hunting season. But I never do because of work (my excuse) or because I hate the 24 hours it takes to get home. I especially dread the treatment that customs gives people returning from overseas trips at Seattle's SeaTac airport. They treated American citizens like criminal scum even before September 11.

That isn't a reason not to return, but an excuse. Most things we complain about are trivial.