The rat scuttles, the big cat creeps, the monkey dashes,The bat glides, the white crane soars, the lizard darts,And the owl hootsIn the middle of the night.

A hug from a samurai girl is warmer than a heap of blankets and more meaningful than a pile of words.

People are always afraid of anything different. They are afraid of change," says Sensai. "It is the same everywhere.

Sensei says funerals are not really for the dead. They are for those left behind. "The dead are long gone by the time a funeral is held," he told us. "Who would wait when the doors of Heaven are open? Only the living would be foolish enough to still hang around on earth.

Kyoko sniffs, unable to speak. Sometimes saying nothing means most of all.

Life is all about balance. Since I have only one leg, I understand that well.