<Begin Segment 34>

TI: You know, you've given so much thought in the last several years, in your writings, your thinkings, probably even in your sermons about what happened to Japanese Americans and, I'm wondering, in these last few years, as you think of all the events that happened, and some of the things that your parents did, do you, is there any fresh perspectives or any new insights in terms of thinking about your parents and their lives and what, and their choices and the things that they've made, and how you think about that?

EBA: Well, I think that generation, at least my mother and my father, I think they were in a framework of, "This is the way we've always done it and this is the way we're gonna do, so we continue on that way." And I think about hanging onto a marriage that wasn't working, and being maybe distanced emotionally 'cause you didn't show that to your siblings, or to your children. But you know, if, I think, "Well, what if my parents didn't get divorced? What would that be like and how would all this have fallen together?" But I think I've learned that I'm not gonna be quiet with my children, with my grandchildren. I'm gonna engage in them, with them and let them know who I am, warts and all. I have my downsides as well as my good side. But I think it's just, to me it has highlighted to me the importance of relationship, how important that is for us to get through life, to have that sense of community around us that maybe is a, maybe we were focused in on one thing, you know, the internment, or that type of thing, how much community is important in, in engaging in that and being able to release that and learn the lessons from that.

TI: In going forward today, from today, how do you see your life experiences, your thoughts now, coming together in terms of thinking about things like the Japanese American community or race relations or, or your work as a pastor, how does this all come together in your mind?

EBA: Boy, um, well, first of all I think although my father was not intimate with me in a relationship so much, but what he has done has really informed me as to what I do today and how I am. I'm sorry, you have to go back and... say that question again.

TI: Well, let me break it down.

EBA: Okay.

TI: That was probably not a very fair question. But starting, going forward, I'll break it down, how do you see your experiences impacting your relationship with the Japanese American community going forward? Do you see a connection sort of ongoing, and what does that look like in your mind?

EBA: Well, I still feel very connected to the Japanese community although I'm not living in the Japanese community now, I'm quite a ways north of here. But I just feel, still feel very connected in that arena and we can... just the, talking about it, having experiences of, of relating our family and what we went through. It's, there's no disconnect between me and the Japanese community as far as I'm concerned.

<End Segment 34> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.