A friend forwarded this beautiful, moving letter about life in Japan following the devastating natural disasters.  I have since discovered that it was written by Anne Thomas and published in ODE.  It is dated 14 March 2011

“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 a sign so people can come to fill up their  jugs and buckets. It’s utterly amazingly that 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.”

Many of you have contributed towards helping the people of Japan following the earthquakes and tsunami.  I thought this would be meaningful to you as a reflection on life and age esteem.

Bonnie Fatio