Laborare est orare

“Siiri Pitkänen and Tadao Watanabe, sometime in the Taisho period (1910’s). They met when he came to Finland to study to become a missionary. They lived in Japan and Finland in the 1920’s, often far apart, and their longing letters to each other have been published in the book “Kirsikankukkien vuodet” (Cherry Blossom Years). Some of their correspondence reflects family tragedy and marriage arguments, but there are many sweet and longing letters to the “dear quarrel-partner”. ”