Japan

It seems absolutely heartless of me that I can write about my own small doings and frustrations without even once mentioning the tragedy happening in Japan.  I have watched, with the rest of the world, in grief over the catastrophic death toll.  There is no recrimination about lack of preparedness, because really, how could you possibly prepare for such a force of nature?  All there can be is shock, horror, and prayers... for the living and the dead.

I hope to someday print this blog in a bound book, since it has become my journal.  For that reason, I will elaborate that I am referring to the 8.9 magnitude earthquake followed by more than 4 tsunamis that cut a merciless path of destruction and death through northwestern Japan on March 11th.  Though literally thousands have lost their lives (4,126 is the current death toll... with more than 12,000 still unaccounted for!), and millions are now homeless, there are amazing stories of survival...

Like the 4 month old baby ripped out of her mother's arms in the torrent of black, deadly water found alive and well in a pile of debris; reunited with her parents who both, miraculously, also survived!

Then there is the 70 year old woman found alive and determined to survive after also being swept away.

How about the 65 year old man found and rescued off the tattered remains of the roof of his home, drifting 10 miles out to sea?

Then, there is the fact that all LDS missionaries in the district most heavily hit were all conveniently at a zone conference that morning, 35 miles inland and out of harm's way.  I hate to say that God's hand was in that, after all, where was God's hand for the thousands who perished?  Still, it was an un-looked for blessing.

And now, to add insult to injury, the tsunami knocked out the power to a nuclear power plant shutting down the cooling tanks and leading to an imminent core melt down with radiation spilling out over the decimated landscape.

Things are grim in Japan.  It makes me feel guilty for my safety and security even as it makes me grateful for all that I have, especially my family!