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"Omamori" a Japanese Charm is known as
a good luck charm and a form of protection
of the gods.
An Omamori is picked based on the deity in
which they want protection and is usually 
replaced every year. For example, those
traveling by sea carry a "Suitengu", the
god of the sea.
Soldiers carry "Hachiman", the god of
war to protect them from injury and
death.  Today in Japan, people
young and old carry Omamori in
their pockets for protection.

When I was seventeen years old, my Oji-san 
(Grandfather) passed away at the age of 87.
this was the first time I had witnessed a
death in the family and was very difficult.
I will always remember that day, our family 
doctor told us that Oji-san was going to die 
anytime. So my whole family decided to
gather around his bed and be around him.
This being my first experience with death,
I was afraid to see my Grandfather die.  So
I went outside and stood in the street in
front of my house. The season was spring 
and I felt the summer heat in the air. It
was begining to get dark and the sun was
starting to sink into the ocean turning the
sky pink. It was so beautiful.  All of the
sudden, I saw a cat on the top of our roof
and the cat "Ni-yaooo". My mother came out
from the house and said, "your Oji-san just
breathed his last breath."  I look back up
on the roof and knew that my grandfathers 
spirit had become a cat and wanted to say 
good bye. I turned to my mother and said,
"I know."