Earthquakes and Sakura
- At July 27, 2016
- By anneblog
- In Annes Letters
0
Dear Family and Friends,
Several days ago there were two massive earthquakes in Kumamoto, a prefecture far to the south of where I live. Buildings tumbled, people died, and water and electricity were cut. Even now many are still housed in shelters, while aftershocks and mudslides continue to threaten both cities and towns.
Rescue workers and relief efforts are in full force as the area struggles to contend with the ongoing physical, emotional, and mental devastation. Those professionals are exceedingly well trained and prepared, so locals, although shattered, know they are receiving the best assistance possible. Likewise, miraculously, as of now all tsunami warnings have been lifted. And the nearby nuclear plant, ironically in a place called Sendai, is reported to be undamaged and functioning properly. These important things provide a flicker of hope in this time of great trauma and despair.
The intensity and tragedy of this situation are a definite reality of the complexity of the Japanese experience. Yet even as this nightmare overwhelms people in Kyushu, and our sincere concerns, prayers, and assistance extend to them, we know and have to accept that sadness is never the full picture. Japanese innately know that whatever is true is always balanced by its opposite, which can be equally as true, and often happening at the same time. Indeed, one such counterpoint to the Kumamoto tragedy is the delicacy of Sakura, cherry blossoms. They are coming to full expression throughout the nation at this very moment.
Even though Sakura seem ethereal, light, and joyous, they, too, convey a multitude of profound meanings. Throughout the centuries they have symbolized the complete cycle of life – from the joy of birth to the inevitably of death. Their delicate petals suggest the fragility and shortness of youth, and call on us to appreciate ephemeral beauty while it lasts. Yet, the thick, gnarled trunks promise us longevity, along with the necessity of obligation. These dark, twisted beings, often with only a shell remaining, have the privilege and power to support new life as it delights in its earliest expression. Yet they later work to feed the leaves in summer and protect dormant life in winter. And precisely because of this ongoing nurturance and annual recycling, the beloved Sakura shower us with the hope of rebirth and eternal life.
The blooming of Sakura is a cause for celebration. Starting in the south and moving northward, blossoms offer their shy message of hope and of joy. North of Sendai, Miyagi, the flowering occurs rather late. That enables the delicate cherry to brush the festivities of early May, when carp streamers announce the joyous presence of children. In particular, Kitakami, Iwate simultaneously adorns itself with both Sakura and streamers. They offer us the pleasure of sheer beauty, even as petals fall like snow or tears of gentle rain.
Kumamoto, and the nation with it, are weeping now. Yet even as this uncertainty continues, we are taking time to appreciate beauty while it lasts, knowing that it must die, but will recycle again and again, and forever yet again.
Love,
Anne
