tête-à-tête

How can I not write about the tragedy in Japan when every time I turn on the TV or go online, I see overwhelming images of destitute situations that are close to home? Although I was just six years old when a strong earthquake hit Luzon including my hometown, I could already understand the indelible magnitude of the destruction from the huge cracks on the walls of our house and from the footages of leveled buildings and mangled roads in places kilometers away. But that seems minuscule now compared to what happened to our brothers and sisters in Japan. The indescribable might of nature was in full display as it rocked Northern Japan and triggered a monstrous tsunami that ravaged Sendai. The aftermath revealed a gruesome vista of wrecked houses and structures and dilapidated cars and boats stacked atop each other like toys. Thousands have perished and more are still within danger zones. Yet in the middle of it all, inspiring stories of self-sacrifice, discipline, and extraordinary courage abound. Think of those fifty unselfish workers at the nuclear facility in Fukushima who, even as I write this, choose to put their lives on the line to avert an impending nuclear meltdown. Did you hear about those Japanese men who let their Filipina wives and children evacuate, but opted to stay because their jobs needed them? What about those pupils who quietly settled for a most simple graduation ceremony in a classroom? Those students who went around giving away food despite having so little? They, and those countless others, who remain collected and proclaim faith instead of hopelessness are indeed unsung heroes.

This is certainly just another challenging chapter in Japan’s rich history. As pages turn, more drama will unfold. But as sure as the sun continues to rise on it, there’s no question that this nation will be able to bounce back.


Copyright © 2009 by DenniSinned2. All rights reserved.

Labels: earthquake, evacuation, Fukushima, heroism, japan, meltdown, nuclear reactor, tsunami