Say a prayer for Japan

It’s so easy to forget about the world, to get caught up in life here, at a good university, with good food, and good friends.  But we MUST remember.  We are part of a much bigger picture.  Our world is so big, so huge, and yet so small and connected.  Connected in an infinite number of ways.

Disasters have struck in the past, and they will continue to strike as the earth changes.  We must be able to adjust to those changes.  Some changes happen very quickly, an earthquake, or a tsunami; others take time to produce their effect, global warming, or magnetic poles.

The effects of disasters last much longer than the duration of destruction.  Initially, help comes in floods, pouring in from all angles.  But a month later, the news coverage has moved on, those not affected have forgotten, and life “goes back to normal.”  But for those whose houses were washed away, whose livelihoods were destroyed, who are missing loved ones; life never goes back to normal.

So say a prayer for Japan tonight, say a prayer for Haiti, say a prayer for New Orleans, say a prayer for Sri Lanka, and say a prayer for all the other places hit by various kinds of disasters.  Say a prayer for those suffering, say a prayer for those hurting, say a prayer.  Say a prayer for our world, that we may come together to comfort instead of tear down, to love instead of hate, because we can’t do this on our own.  God is in control.

This is a letter someone forwarded to me, and it really hit home, so I’m going to share it.  I do not know the author, but I admire her greatly and pray she keeps faith in this difficult time.

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

And here is a link of some before and after pictures, I highly suggest looking at them.  It’s like someone took an eraser to the page and completely erased whole communities.