Tuesday, March 22, 2011


QUAKE UPDATES Day 11 ++
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Had the trio stay over Sunday-Monday, on Sunday took them for lunch to Hot Station, where we ate outside in a field of nanohana with (nanohana in our bento!) beneath the snowy mountains, then went to get some spring water - which the girls love to do - then back home to our very own mountains of private snow that have arisen from the multiple shovelings of the deck over the ages of this winter, so the ladyettes could make snow men and in Kaya's case (quite the little artist) a snow rabbit. In mid-task she asked if we had some red berries, we had none; I thought a minute and gave her a small dried red pepper from a bunch hanging on the wall and her face lit up; I went out later to see what she had made and it was a wee snow rabbit with its wee snowfriend. Fun till bed, when they made a nest for themselves in an upstairs room, settled in under the big blankets, yawned and were asleep.

I did the same. Woke to laughter of Echo and the girls downstairs at breakfast... how quickly the young recover... giggles are a major gift of nature, good for every ill... and what bright energy the girls are now, for these moment untroubled and happy, with fun to be had... Kasumi was better by Monday and came to join us for the day, which was when we took the photo.

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Started to order some stuff from the US via the internet the other day and at checkout was told: "Shipments to Japan will be delayed indefinitely." Apparently, all cargo transport is being commandeered for aid etc. for an indeterminate time, which is fully ok with me, but it was something of a shock to discover that sources abroad are cut off 'indefinitely.' Saw no news about that in the media; or when private shipments will be restored...

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"Now I just feel hatred towards TEPCO," he says. "It is very difficult for me to say this since I have worked for them for 18 years. But I just think they should come clean with all the information they have."

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One positive aspect to these catastrophic events, and historically perhaps the most remarkable, judging from what I've experienced here and in these past few days, is that because of the media revolution the world has just had its first genuine experience of The Global Community, its first real full-spectrum sense of how we are all in this together.

Japan's harrowing disaster, in all its horrible reality, was borne at the speed of light directly to the eyes and hearts of different cultures all around the world, whose people could right now see and be with and among the victims of quake, tsunami, radiation accidents; they could share the plight of countless of their fellow humans as never before in history-- oceans different from seeing in the morning paper over coffee a photo of some buildings fallen yesterday somewhere else in the world with another Thousands Die headline, then heading off to work...

In this new instant, the world became Japan and Japan the world. For the first time in history, we all felt it: we are all in this together. This was not politics, this was not spin, this was life - our life - all of us, here on this small blue spaceship. I believe that this will go down in history as a major turning point in the hopeful advance of civilization... If we can maintain our native integrity, keep our minds clear and learn to learn what we are being taught...


7 comments:

Tabor said...

What a huge contrast to the daily news is that lovely photo! The children may look at this as a little holiday, which in their eyes, it should be.

~ Sil in Corea said...

Yes, I too hope and pray that we will learn we're all in the same boat, and start treating each other and the world as the precious people and environment that we are.

Mage said...

So very glad you had these beautiful children and your daughter with you for these perfect days. What a gift in the middle of chaos.

DJ said...

What a beautiful family you have, you are truly blessed! And I'm so happy to hear that you are all together. I hope Tatsuya will be able to join you soon! The people of Japan are still in my thoughts and prayers.

Tracy's Pointe said...

Eloquent expressions Robert..truth.

joared said...

Definitely precious moments. So true that we do all share as caretakers of our planet and each other.

MsB said...

Bob, Learning as we go here too. Does that mean that those of us here could not send things to Japan as well? So, glad to hear that Kasumi and the girls have been to see you. It must have been so great to see them. Again, thanks for posting your blog...as when I get my Kyoto Journal, you are the first person I read. all the best.