Saturday in America was Sunday in Japan

Last night I had a nice conversation with my son who lives in Tokyo, Japan with his family. SKYPE is a wonderful invention because I could see him and know that he is okay and looking well. He and his family are still safe and getting calmer although the aftershocks continue to be startling. He said it was a bright sunny day there, children were outside playing, people were walking,driving, and biking, shops were open, and shelves had been replenished. To assuage my fears, he reminded me that when the meltdown occurred at Three-Mile Island, New York City was not evacuated and was just 100 miles away. Tokyo is about 150+ miles away from the nuclear power facilities where all the problems are being worked on so lots of people are just staying put and trying to live their daily lives. He told me that everyone continues to be concerned about those poor people who have no heat, no water, no food, and he wonders why the news media can get there with their camera crews, etc. and yet take no supplies with them to help the people they are trying to film and interview. Good question. Water, blankets, hygiene supplies, food...........surely they could toss some things in the backseats of their vehicles and give them out at their destinations. Today at church a second collection was taken up to aid in the relief efforts in Japan and prayers were offered for all who died and for those who lived but lost everything or were injured. I loved hearing about the survival of the elderly grandmother and her teen-age grandson when their house had collapsed around them. To be alive and safe after so many days is indeed a miracle. Let's hope the miracles keep coming. I also applaud the Japanese people who have conducted themselves with dignity, courtesy and compassion for their fellow countrymen. Sadly, I think had this disaster occurred in America the looting and vandalism would have started the first day and continued. I think the behavior of the Japanese people in this crisis is a testimonial to the value they place on home, family, honor, and respect. If we teach our children and grandchildren those values from infancy to adulthood, they will not depart from those character-building traits. A baby's life is like a blank page, and as parents we write the child's future on a daily basis. That is an awesome responsibility and an incredible opportunity to raise honest, decent, contributing adults.