I wonder
how people I’ve met in Ishinomaki
are doing these days.
I wonder
if they’ve found a place to live
besides school classrooms.
****************************
Looking at the film photos
that I took in Ishinomaki,
it makes me miss all the smiles I met there.
I got back from Ishinomaki-shi
earlier tonight.
I can’t write everything
that I am feeling now but
I am very very glad I went.
I don’t know what
I was able to do for the people there,
and whatever it was that I did,
I know it’s not as direct as
shoveling out mud from the houses or
building a temporary shelters.
But, I did get to meet people directly and
was able to see people smiling
and heard people telling me to come back again
to see them again.
I heard people telling me that
they don’t know what to do
but I never ever heard people
saying
`I give up.`
***************************
So many people with warm heart.
So many people with great smile.
It may take a while but
I know you can do it.
We can do it.
If you are interested in
the volunteer activity I participated,
here is the link.
From tomorrow until the 19th,
I will be in Ishinomaki-shi.
I’m going to go
to keep my promise.
The promise I made to myself
when that earthquake happened.
自分に今できること。
節電、節水、募金…色々あるけれど、
でも、それでも
自分は役立たずな気持ちがしてならないね。
そんな時、ふと思ったのは
近くにいる人にもっと優しくなろう、ってこと。
明日からは、
些細なことで
イライラしたりピリピリするのはやめよう。
電力だってそうだけど、
心のエネルギーも
賢く使おう。
「優しさ」や「思いやり」の
波紋は
広がっていくものだから、
一人ひとりの人が、
今自分の近くにいる人をいたわれたら、
それは、なんらかのカタチで
日本中に、そして世界中に広がっていくはず。
「やるせなさ」を心から拭い去ることはできないから、
その代わり
「やさしさ」で心を染めよう。
I used to say
‘spring better arrive here soon
just because I wanted to wear my new dress,
just because I wanted to see flowers blooming,
and just because
I was simply tired of the cold weather.
Now, I will say the same thing,
except this time,
I will say
for all those people who are freezing in the darkness
without heat or light.
So spring, you better arrive here soon.
Bewitched 