It's been a year since I saw the news. I was first shocked speechless, as I saw how the waves destroyed everything that was in its way. Then came the heartache, as I fathomed the pain the victims had to go through. Loved ones, classmates, friends, neighbors and even pets were lost in a matter of seconds. For someone with heartfelt ties to the nation, after devoting so much passion in the language, culture and history, it was a heart-wrenching episode. In fact back then, I was in-between jobs and had wanted to fly over so badly to help. (But for many different reasons, I eventually didn't and it's funny how a certain colleague of mine was just talking about quitting the job to go help Japan.)
A year on, Japan is en route to recovery. Yet as Yuki's interviewee (in her partially done documentary, Kasama-Yaki) said, "scars remain", and that is certainly true. Think about the laughter or barks that have been missed and one will understand how important it is to cherish all that is close to your heart. Not that I am a rags-and-bones man but I think even the inanimate objects, like the silly photos you took in school, or the watch you'd received as a 21st birthday gift, can hold memories that once gone, will take away the memories that it was once tagged with. So reading from the various news sources, it's heartening to see how Japan has recovered - both physically and mentally. Knowing Japan, I am certain this is not something that can defeat Japan.
With all that said, I really look forward to the day that Japan will be able to look back to see how far it has come from this disaster.
日本、頑張れ！
A year on, Japan is en route to recovery. Yet as Yuki's interviewee (in her partially done documentary, Kasama-Yaki) said, "scars remain", and that is certainly true. Think about the laughter or barks that have been missed and one will understand how important it is to cherish all that is close to your heart. Not that I am a rags-and-bones man but I think even the inanimate objects, like the silly photos you took in school, or the watch you'd received as a 21st birthday gift, can hold memories that once gone, will take away the memories that it was once tagged with. So reading from the various news sources, it's heartening to see how Japan has recovered - both physically and mentally. Knowing Japan, I am certain this is not something that can defeat Japan.
With all that said, I really look forward to the day that Japan will be able to look back to see how far it has come from this disaster.
日本、頑張れ！
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