And I was writing terrible poetry and knitting sweaters for him.

A recent credit card commercial depicts a father and son traveling to Norway to trace their family s origins. After bonding over local beer, food, sweaters, and swimming, they discover their family is actually from Sweden.

I am proud of the path that we have taken, but we did not walk that path alone. Seventy years ago, Japan had been reduced to ashes, and each and every month, citizens of the United States sent and brought gifts like milk for our children, warm sweaters, and even goats.