We Are All Japanese

'What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.' ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recent events in Japan have touched a raw nerve across the world. Nuclear meltdowns. Collapsed buildings. Traumatic images of waves crashing through towns and flattening the hopes of thousands are seared into our collective consciousness. Watching this catastrophe unfold makes my heart skip a beat. A few beats. When I am glued to my television screen I can't help but be reminded of a central theme running through life. A theme one cannot escape, however hard we try: We are all fragile.

Our human experience comes with many wonderful gifts; Joy. Love. Creativity. Yet we also have to deal with inevitable tragedy, pain and suffering. When faced with catastrophe on the scale of Japan's current plight abiding questions get asked... How does a nation recover from such tragedy? How does an individual rise from the ashes of calamity on such a biblical scale?

Well, it seems that studying the measured and courageous response of the Japanese people is a good way to find the answer. Why is it that during difficult times the best in humanity often surfaces? Why is it that in these moments of tragedy people share themselves with others, when in normal moments we seem to walk through each other exacerbating our disconnected feelings? I believe that these tragedies remind us that our innate humanness is to connect. To love. To help. To embrace and to hope.

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami teach us many important lessons. In the face of this reminder that Mother Nature is the true power behind the curtain, we realize that each moment is all we have. This is it. Right now. We realize we really all are one. We realize that the good soul and nature of humanity is alive and well.

What lies within us is what feeds us and those around us. What lies within us is what fuels us. What lies within us is what connects us. The people of Japan are showing us all what it means to be resolute. To be courageous. To love. To share. To hope. To rise above the ashes. To be human.

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Comments

[shylove2]

07:50 PM on 03/27/2011

Nobody in the world is Japanese or Haitian, becuse we do not rush to dia or have immrediate response teams. Instead we talk alot and drag our feet for days and finally arrive in time to take out the boide sfter the injured have died in place without response and that includes ourselves as with Katrina...I think we are on a population reduction mandate to prepare for the onslaught of global warming and the first casualty has een humanitarian interest in any people or country including our very own.

[pmag88]

06:20 AM on 03/27/2011

One of my favorite films. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047478/

Rise up Japan, and face your destiny. A future of increased prosperity and well being for all mankind.

[CraigVale]

10:27 AM on 03/26/2011

While my heart is broken and seems irreparable at the present time I am reassured time and again at the ability to see the unqualified dignity of the Japanese people who like few societies on the planet value the well being of others more than themselves. Unmistakable dignity wherein a person unthinkingly shares what little remains with a relative, neighbor or even a total stranger. It is truly remarkable and hopefully will serve as a lesson to all of us. The lack of panic, few if any incidents of looting, stores actually lowering prices and in some cases even giving their products away for free. In would never happen in the West. You may see a heartwarming story here or there as we did following Katrina, but for the most part it showed our nation the shameful side of our human nature as many, many folks were looking out for no one but themselves and the images of policeman and woman looting in the after math of the disaster with never leave me. We could and should take a lesson from Japan's victims. A little bit of humility and unconditional thoughts of well being for your fellow human beings can and does make a difference in how we treat others.

[Hazelnut]

09:41 PM on 03/25/2011

Very beautiful. The reporting and discussion about this tragedy seems lately to have fallen into a mainly technical argument between the pro and anti nuclear points of view. I have been looking for the humanity, and I have found it in this article. Thank you.