Shedding Winter, Embracing Spring: Welcoming Change in the Heart of Tokyo

Tegami: A Journey of Renewal and Gratitude

Mar 17, 2025

Just as I was about to recover from a cold that had a tight grip on my lungs, I read that the first cherry blossoms had been spotted in Tokyo. It’s March 11 as I write this, and even though the blooming season was expected to arrive two weeks earlier than initially predicted, it still feels incredibly early for them to appear now, even sooner than that.

Cherry Blossom Trees in Chofu, captured by hartl.co

After an emergency trip back home to Germany for a medical procedure - hoping and waiting for everything to heal in time for my flight back - I wasn’t just excited to return to Japan; I felt a desperate urge that colored my whole world blue. The longing to be back in my small apartment in my favorite city on earth, living mundane days surrounded by the bustling and rustling of Tokyo, completely consumed me. I didn’t enjoy the waiting. Worrying about whether my health would cooperate didn’t help either.

So when I finally sat on the plane heading home - because that’s how Tokyo already feels to me - I couldn’t help but smile in anticipation.

Even though my body vibrated with excitement, my immune system was overwhelmed, immediately inviting in a cold that hit me the day after I arrived. All my plans, wishes, and hopes for a busy first weekend back went out the window.

Breathing was hard. Coughing sent fireworks of pain through my skull, making me taste blood in the back of my throat. I wasn’t sure whether it was a symptom of the cold or a lingering effect of my surgery.

I looked out the window, longing for a walk under the bright blue sky, feeling the wind in my hair. I wanted to be out there, hearing the familiar hum of Tokyo and moving my body, one step at a time. I had waited what felt like a lifetime to do all of this and more. Why, why, why?

Being bedridden for weeks usually dampens my mood. Being bedridden in Tokyo is even worse - let me tell you that.

But when I saw the picture of the pink blooms, my feelings slowly began to shift.

A new season is beginning. I will experience the arrival of spring in all its radiant, pink glory in my favorite place on earth. The past few weeks have been a struggle, but I am slowly emerging from them. It’s as if winter reached out for me one last time before passing my hand over to my true love: spring.

I want to embrace this transition, even the difficult parts of it.

I am grateful for my body - for carrying me through life, fighting off viruses as fast and hard as it can, and allowing me to enjoy most days in peace and health. That is not a given. I am grateful that I have the option to stay in bed for three days to focus on sleep and recovery. That is not a given. I am grateful for a supportive husband who takes care of me when I need it most. That is not a given. And I am grateful that I am starting to feel better at the same time Tokyo is starting to bloom.

Slowly but surely, I am pulling back the dark blue curtains to let in the rosy light. I might even crack open the window to invite the scent of the trees that have started to bloom - soon transforming the world around me into a dream brought to life. Being able to experience the entire cherry blossom season is a gift I will cherish forever. From the first bloom to the floral snow, I can’t wait to be in the midst of it.

My favorite season is finally, truly arriving, and I am ready to embrace it. Over the past four weeks, my body has shed. I lost teeth, grew gray hairs, and gained anticipation that fizzes like popping candy, tickling my cheeks. Not every day can be a walk in the park. But I will make sure that the days in between will be just that: a walk in the park, surrounded by pink trees and smiling faces.

Just like the trees, I, too, am slowly blossoming.