"Bitter Sweet" needs more sugar.

If what I know of life is "bitter sweet" then it definitely needs more sugar.

I have just started reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet written by Jamie Ford and even in this small bit that I have read, this book has really made me feel some strong emotions (especially the "bitter" ones). It is set in 1986 and starts with 56 year old Henry Lee (a Chinese American) standing in front of the Panama hotel ( "once the gateway to Seattle's Japantown" as quoted in the book)  as the new owner uncovers the findings of belongings from Japanese families who were sent to internment camps during World War II. When the owner brings out a Japanese parasol as one of the belongings, Henry recounts the memories of him and Keiko, a Japanese girl in his childhood during the years of the war. After that the book jumps in and out of the years of the war (his childhood) and present day.

A lot of this book, talks about the war and the tensions between people (Japanese Americans and Americans) during those years. It is quite sad to think that from the faults of others, many can be judged with no reason but the fault of others. To me, I think that everyone deserves at least a chance and that it isn't fair when people don't give them one. Why should someone who have done nothing wrong be blamed for an issue that someone else had caused. There are always exceptions in the world and we should all acknowledge their existence. People are not items on a shelf and since we aren't we should not have labels, especially ones that are wrong. Whats the point of "profiles" if people have one created for others already? Why understand others if you already think you understand them? One cannot categorize another: oh you're this race or look, you must act like this, for nothing can truly define someone. I can't even define myself so why are there people who think they know who I am?

I have met many who say they know who someone else "is" and what they've gone through but the fact is that everything changes. In one second an entire life can change but really, no course is ever constant. Choices are not concrete, they're like strings, delicate and flexible, swaying each time a wind blows, and choices, are what makes one's path their own. Even if a list was given to us with every answer to every choice we were to make, that does not mean it would be followed. Sure, there are those who try to follow it but just because some do, that doesn't mean the rest of us will and we should not go into thinking that everyone would. Its a very difficult thing to do, trying to not think you understand someone but the only way to not do that is to actually try and understand others better. Surprises will come up and we should all just keep "understanding" to know that there is always more that we do not understand.

Some people will never understand why there is always more to understand and that's alright. If they can't understand us, understand them. There will always be people who make life more "bitter" but it doesn't have to be that way. Life isn't bitter. Its not sweet but it shouldn't be bitter. Something so precious as life can't be bitter and that's why many things, like the title of this book says, are bitter sweet. Bitter in some ways, sweet in others, it will all balance out in the end.

Life is made of bitter and sweet, but if this life as we know it is already bitter sweet, I think we could all help and add a bit more sugar.

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