Mei, though 16, seems much younger. Her mother keeps a wary eye on her. Unlike most teenagers, she was a grateful guest. My daughter, who has been driving since 16 and is now 18 and heading to college, would have never allowed me to tie her down with strings. She’s not yet an adult, at least not in my mind, but she strains for independence and seems more self-sufficient. My daughter, like many teenagers, sometimes exhibits a sense of entitlement, which I find annoying and undeserved. I’ve tried my best to tamp it down.

Both of my cousins have a knack for viewing the world positively. We gave my cousins a brief tour of Detroit, and both pointed out things to me that were interesting about the city. Driving along Woodward Avenue, there is a church located in every block. They loved the churches. I had almost forgotten how beautiful some of the old churches were. They stand in stark contrast to the decay around them, like shiny beacons of hope.

My cousins enjoyed dinners with a view of Windsor, Ontario, and were awed by the traffic on the Detroit River and the beautiful interior of the GM building. I realized with shame that these are things I take for granted.

What was most unnerving to me was looking into my cousin’s face and seeing my mother’s facial features. Miho and my mother share the same eyes and eyebrows. After a while, it was hard to look at her without getting teary eyed. While it was nice to have a relative from a distant land and culture visiting me, Miho’s visit was a reminder of my own loss.

What was really nice was strengthening the connection between us. Miho and I promised to meet more often. Perhaps someday I will visit my mother’s homeland, a place I have never seen. Though she had only known me for a few days, Mei tearfully told me in broken English that she enjoyed her visit and didn’t want to leave.

Perhaps she will return someday to check out the other branches in the family tree.