The disaster in Japan has been on my mind ever since last Friday morning. I woke up to the phone ringing – my daughter telling me about the earthquake. She and I both used to live in Japan and now she and her Japanese husband live in Calgary.
As I heard the news, I ran and turned on the TV. I also checked Facebook frequently throughout the day to keep up with people I know in Japan. Even though I lived south of Nagoya, I know three people who live in or near Tokyo. And one of my former students has family in Saitama. Naturally I was concerned about them. I have heard from all of them and they are safe.
One of them told me that she had to stay in her office in Tokyo until midnight that day because there were no trains and no cell phone coverage. They were told to stay where they were. Since then she’s told me that when she goes shopping for food, the shelves are empty. You’ve probably seen that on the news – people are stocking up in case they are affected by a quake in their area.
In September of 2005 I experienced a 6.8 earthquake. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was living with a Japanese family in a condo on the 10th floor of a high-rise. Around 11 p.m. I was sitting at the dining room table when I started to feel some shaking. I hollered to Hatsumi who was brushing her teeth and hadn’t noticed yet. She yelled at Aki and we all dove under the table. Aki managed to grab their six-year old. I asked about the twins, but they were in the bottom of a bunk bed so they would be safe. As we sat under the table hanging onto each other, the building began to sway. I have never been so scared in my life! I’ve never felt so helpless! I wondered what would happen. After what seemed like forever (perhaps 45 seconds), the swaying stopped. I was amazed that no furniture had fallen over – just some things had fallen off shelves.
The next week in my conversation classes, guess what the topic was! It was interesting to hear about everyone’s experience on Sunday evening. That week, people promptly went shopping to prepare their emergency kits, in case it happened again. (Isn’t that what we do – after the computer crashes, we want to back up?) There were aftershocks, and by Wednesday I was no longer afraid. I remember one evening when we got an aftershock, I stood by the balcony doors because I wanted to watch the other buildings sway – but it didn’t get to that point.
What is my point in this story? I’m not sure I have one. I just wanted to talk about it. I am tied to Japan and forever will be. I’m saddened by the tragedies they are facing. One thing I’ve noticed when watching the news is that people there are hugging each other. They are a people who don’t touch each other – especially in public! They don’t shake hands, they bow. When meeting each other after a time apart, they wave or bow. One time I was at the airport waiting to pick up my daughter; I watched as a mother waited for the return of her daughter. When the daughter arrived with her suitcase in tow, the mother was so elated to see her she burst into tears, and then touched the suitcase as they walked away. It is nice to see that some of them feel free to display their love for each other now, after such a devastating disaster.
Another interesting observation: news reporters are commenting on the calmness and orderliness of the people there, despite the panic. The philosophy of the Japanese people, which is taught in to children at an early age, is that society comes first. They are taught to think of others. (How refreshing is that!) Is that why we see people risking their lives? Is that why there is no looting? Is that why no one got trampled as they left the buildings?
Enough of my ramblings. I wonder what observations you have made this last week. What are you learning about yourself? I’ve been extra thankful that I live in Calgary, and when I start to complain about the snow and the cold, I remind myself that they are not life-threatening and we really have nothing to complain or worry about. I am thankful. ...and I continually pray for Japan and the people who are affected – and that is every single person living there.
What are your thoughts when you watch the news?
