A letter from Japan.....

My tribute continues....to the brave people of Japan! If you're like me, then you have undoubtedly been touched and amazed at the courage and strength of the Japanese, in this horrific time for them....each one is looking out for the other as opposed to focussing on their own comfort. There is a feeling of "community" and "what can I do to help someone else?" The TV and news have been full of stories of people helping one another, but what really brought it home was a letter my aunt received from a cousin of hers who has lived for the past decade in Sendai, teaching English!


Al I can say is 'read on"....

Hello My Lovely Family and Friends,

First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all. But it seems the best way at the moment to get my message to you.

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to 

have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even 

more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share 

supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up their jugs 

and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in 

lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an 

earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens 

are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for 

half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. 

But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. 

No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some 

places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. 

People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking 

their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No 

cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered 

with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. 

The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them 

silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on,

and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from 

whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking

to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they

need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, 

no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is

a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is

better off than others.  Last night my friend's husband came in from the 

country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed

an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world 

right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now

in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I 

felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as

part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of 

birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,

Anne

How? How does one come out of such a terrible tragedy and have this kind of attitude? We have a lot to learn from these people! Thank you Anne for this letter.