As I write this, you’re just a few months old, peacefully sleeping in your crib. You don’t know this yet, but you were named after my role model.
Kiyoshi came into my mother’s life when she was a baby, marrying my grandmother and adopting my mother as his own when he was only twenty. My mother didn’t even know of this fact until she had to go get her birth certificate one day to apply to a job, and she noticed that she was listed as Kiyoshi’s adopted daughter. She always thought that Kiyoshi was her father. I didn’t know about this growing up either, until one day my mother told me with tears in her eyes, well after Kiyoshi had passed away. I always thought that Kiyoshi was my grandfather because of the way he treated me.
Kiyoshi was a simple man – a carpenter who built his life with his own two hands. He didn’t have a fancy education, he didn’t own nice things, and he never traveled the world. But the legacy he left behind is richer than any I could imagine.
He poured his heart into everything he did. He cared for others, always showing up for his family, friends, and neighbors in need, using his handy skills to improve the community. A deeply private man, he refused to go to church on Sundays when there were people around. He abhorred the self-proclaimed Christians whose luxurious, pleasure-seeking lives were nothing like that of Jesus. Yet, he was consistently there on the weekdays, tools in hand, volunteering to mend whatever the church required fixing.
Kiyoshi really enjoyed bonding with kids though. When he passed away, the majority of those who attended his funeral were children from the neighborhood whose parents brought them to the funeral, saying that he had made a difference in their lives. He had touched them in ways words can’t capture. That, Kiyoshi, is the measure of the man he was. And to everyone’s astonishment, my grandmother never had to work a day of her life after Kiyoshi had passed. He had quietly amassed enough wealth to provide for his family for decades beyond his lifetime.
I named you after him, not because I want you to follow his exact path, but because I hope you carry his spirit in your heart. I don’t care if you obtain wealth, and I certainly don’t care if you obtain fame. Life is about the impact you leave on those closest to you.
Be kind, Kiyoshi. Be there for your friends and family. Be a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, a light in the world that can sometimes feel cold. Love and be loved. Look out for others when it’s not easy, especially for those who cannot do anything for you in return. Use your God-given talents to improve the lives of others.
I know that you’ll find your own way, discover your own passions, and make your own mark on the world. But never forget the power of connections you form with others, because that is the true mark of a person. That’s the legacy of the name you carry.
With all my love,
Your Father
