A Hymn to Space
- At August 19, 2020
- By admin
- In Annes Letters
0
August 19, 2020
Dear Family and Friends,
Please forgive me if this letter is a tad trite. However, for the past four years, I have been struggling to give some sort of understanding and order to the chaotic changes that have been happening worldwide. Viewing my own country in particular has been both embarrassing and alarming. But that, too, has motivated me to continually evolve a philosophy that sees what is happening, while attempting to incorporate the many shattered fragments into some sort of cohesive whole.
Adding to that endeavor, yesterday as I listened discussions analyzing the Democratic National Convention, I heard several commentators say, “It is going to get worse before it gets better.” Maybe such predictions are a way to steel us, to encourage us not to give up, as we, peoples everywhere, work towards the dream of a better future for all.
As I was exploring in complete wonder and amazement, my breath taken away at every turn, I thought, why not reverse yesterday’s political comment? Instead of thinking that things have to get worse, why not start from a completely different place? “When we think things can’t get more beautiful, to our surprise, they do.”
And sure enough, at the exit of this impressive display of world splendor, there was an art piece called “A Hymn to Space”. It depicted the cosmos via an assemblage of butterfly wings. One hundred species, over 7,000 wings came together to make a gorgeous, harmonious, breathtaking whole.
What is the personal story behind this glowing creation? Many years ago, a young boy named Kunio Karasuyama, wrote to Buzno Kamei, asking him if they could exchange a few butterflies. Mr. Kamei kindly obliged. That happy exchange started a life-long friendship. When he grew up, that young boy became a Catholic priest in Nagasaki. But one year he came to Sendai to honor his friend. He created this truly stunning testament to what is possible when separate individuals come together with a common purpose for a higher beauty, a higher good, a higher standard for all.
I hope this reverse mantra — “When we think things can’t get more beautiful, to our surprise, they do.” — will catch hold of the world’s psyche. Then, out of distrust, destruction, and despair we can create something profoundly inspiring and hope-filled for many, many generations to come.
Love,
Anne
Dear Family and Friends,
Please forgive me if this letter is a tad trite. However, for the past four years, I have been struggling to give some sort of understanding and order to the chaotic changes that have been happening worldwide. Viewing my own country in particular has been both embarrassing and alarming. But that, too, has motivated me to continually evolve a philosophy that sees what is happening, while attempting to incorporate the many shattered fragments into some sort of cohesive whole.
Adding to that endeavor, yesterday as I listened discussions analyzing the Democratic National Convention, I heard several commentators say, “It is going to get worse before it gets better.” Maybe such predictions are a way to steel us, to encourage us not to give up, as we, peoples everywhere, work towards the dream of a better future for all.
In contrast, today a friend and I met to celebrate her newly earned Master’s Degree. She is 57. In Japan attending graduate school so late in life is very rare. Yet, not only did she graduate, she also secured a very good job related to her field of research.
Part of today’s celebration was to go to a small, not well-known museum right near Sendai Station. A man named Bunzo Kamei was part of a family business called the Kamei Corporation. In fact, he was its third president. Of course, he was very involved in that all-consuming work, but his real love, a hobby since childhood, was collecting butterflies. And when he died, this kind gentleman left his entire collection to the company, which displays it on the top floor of its office building.
The collection is unbelievable.
Part of today’s celebration was to go to a small, not well-known museum right near Sendai Station. A man named Bunzo Kamei was part of a family business called the Kamei Corporation. In fact, he was its third president. Of course, he was very involved in that all-consuming work, but his real love, a hobby since childhood, was collecting butterflies. And when he died, this kind gentleman left his entire collection to the company, which displays it on the top floor of its office building.
The collection is unbelievable.
To start, there is a map of where the specimens come from. It may not look like much, but from each place Mr. Kamei collected a wide variety of some truly remarkable examples.
There is one display after another, and then yet another and another.
They go from the simplest and smallest to the grandest, most stunning creatures imaginable.
And everything in between.
As I was exploring in complete wonder and amazement, my breath taken away at every turn, I thought, why not reverse yesterday’s political comment? Instead of thinking that things have to get worse, why not start from a completely different place? “When we think things can’t get more beautiful, to our surprise, they do.”
And sure enough, at the exit of this impressive display of world splendor, there was an art piece called “A Hymn to Space”. It depicted the cosmos via an assemblage of butterfly wings. One hundred species, over 7,000 wings came together to make a gorgeous, harmonious, breathtaking whole.
What is the personal story behind this glowing creation? Many years ago, a young boy named Kunio Karasuyama, wrote to Buzno Kamei, asking him if they could exchange a few butterflies. Mr. Kamei kindly obliged. That happy exchange started a life-long friendship. When he grew up, that young boy became a Catholic priest in Nagasaki. But one year he came to Sendai to honor his friend. He created this truly stunning testament to what is possible when separate individuals come together with a common purpose for a higher beauty, a higher good, a higher standard for all.
I hope this reverse mantra — “When we think things can’t get more beautiful, to our surprise, they do.” — will catch hold of the world’s psyche. Then, out of distrust, destruction, and despair we can create something profoundly inspiring and hope-filled for many, many generations to come.
Love,
Anne
