My New Year's/Birthday Letter to Sensei

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It�fs been a long time since I wrote you last, but today, I write with fresh hope and a fresh outlook on the future. I think that the last few months of 2003 have been very helpful to me in defining who I am and also what role I fit into at Soka University of America.
2003 was a great year for me, though difficult and challenging. I had struggled with myself, many times before, in being confident in who I know myself to be. This past year I was able to better define a part of myself and tell others my great accomplishment. I also decided that I wanted to further my language skills, in English as well as in another two languages. Though it was tough and took a lot of work to keep up in studies, I can say that I enjoyed every minute of learning Spanish and Chinese. I was shocked to learn that there are ugly and mean politics at SUA. The Balitzer-McGiness issue was ugly and divisive, but now the campus has started to heal the wounds, together.
However, I�fve told you this one way or another throughout the year in previous letters. What has been most amazing for me is that in the last month or so, I�fm beginning to find a great appreciation for the SGI. The SGI has always just been there. As a fortune baby, I don�ft remember a time where I didn�ft practice, and don�ft have the luck to be able to compare my life �gpre-SGI�h and �gSGI.�h It is something I know just wasn�ft for my own situation. However, with Aliso Amigos district in Aliso Creek Chapter, near SUA, I feel that we�fve grown up together as a small community. I am more active there in that district, by my own accord, than I have ever been. I want this district to be the shining example of all of the SGI of how to be a completely unified district working with you for Kosen Rufu.
At this time, for my district, we have challenges as well; I am only one of two YMD in my district. The YMD leader of my district, Michael Sasaki, is now going away for study abroad. I don�ft have a very good connection with the other YMD, I really don�ft know why, but I haven�ft been able to talk to him as much as I want to. I will be going away in the fall for my study abroad, and then that�fd leave a small group again, without a big youth presence from SUA. So, my district and I are at a crossroads. What shall we do with this situation?
One of the solutions that were started right before I left was that we�fd attract another SUA student. That we did, so we have Daisaku Yamazaki coming into our district. I haven�ft spoken to him much, but the first impression I have of him was not good. I don�ft know why, but he seems a bit too reserved, like hiding something. But, I�fm committed to making this district grow and I know that he will be a valuable part of the district, and we can both grow together. At the same time, we also have Yoko Kogure, who�fs joining our district. Because she�fs so involved in extracurricular activities, it seems that she can�ft go to the district she was assigned to, about 30 minutes away in Rancho Santa Margarita.
So we have another YWD and YMD. However, I think it would be a better position if we could get other, non-SUA students involved in the leadership. It would provide for a more stable district, where we don�ft have to worry about who will be the leader next term, and next year, quite so often. That is another idea that I�fve been considering the pros and cons of, over my winter break back at home. I don�ft know exactly how it will work out, but I know that the best situation will come out of this.
This is one of the challenges of the coming year. There are others challenges I�fm looking forward to. I will be going on Study Abroad in the fall semester. There is talk of having a worldwide culture festival in Orange County that I�fm excited about. I want to help out in anyway possible. If I can�ft make it for the actual festival, then I want to do the planning that will make it be a great festival. I also have many challenges in my next term. I am again taking 5 courses: Chemistry, Chinese, Core II, Economics, and Spanish. I know that it will be a heavy load to take on, but my mind is thirsty for information. I also have a goal of losing 30 pounds and getting to around 12~15% body fat. I�fm tired of weighing so much and know that this extra weight and energy can and should be used for the sake of other people.
I am also going to continue working for the SUA Student Newspaper, The Pearl, knowing that we have a full plate of challenges for the coming semester. We need to create writers out of newbies. It is difficult work, but I�fm enjoying it. Like any other challenge, every challenge The Pearl has had, brings the �ecore�f group of the paper together. I know that there are many things we have yet to finish and that we can always expand coverage, write better, but I�fm happy to belong to this group of students who are leaders of the rest of the campus.
I am also slowly learning through others what your spirit is; now it is my turn to further my own understanding of your spirit. The spirit to care for others is something that has escaped me the past 19 years of my life, and now I�fm only beginning to understand what it means for you to be the mentor in someone�fs life as an example. I am not only excited about this, but I know that it will be difficult to train myself, and am happy that it will be. (Seems a little bit odd, doesn�ft it? I�fm happy about something that will be difficult.)
I know that this letter is about congratulations on a new year and on your birthday, but I also wanted to thank you so much. Thank you for holding up the ideals of Soka Education. I can think of no other education system that creates more meaning for the students who are educated by it. Thank you for holding up the SGI. It is the major source of my strength to keep going. I could not have made it to this point without the support of other SGI members. Thank you for being a great example and for your goal and vision for the future that is just now beginning to inspire me.
Sincerely,

Andrew Nobuaki Reker
1 January 2004 / Fort Collins, Colorado, USA