Monday, March 21, 2011

Raising The Standard

With all that tragedy that has hit Japan in recent weeks with the earthquake and tsunami, it's hard not to question the reasons for such an occurrence. Why would God allow such terrible things to happen to good people? For me, the answer lies not so much in what has been done to the Japanese people but in what the Japanese people have done for the rest of the world. Japan has set the standard in how we should all cope with the changing world. Japan has raised the bar.

I look at news reports and see the calmness--the accepting nature--of the Japanese people. They wait in long lines for food and gasoline, and they don't argue about the rations they are given. They accept the rolling blackouts with patience. Americans remark on the fact that there is no looting going on (which really is a sad commentary on the mentality of American people). I have been so impressed with Japan's grace under pressure and of the example they are setting for the whole world!

I believe we choose our roles in life. I believe the Japanese people volunteered to play this role for the rest of us. The earthquake and tsunami were not about punishment. They were a device used to show the world what could be accomplished through acceptance and cooperation. In the face of all the change taking place in the world today, the Japanese have set the example we should live by. A new standard has been raised. I just hope the rest of us can follow suit when our trials come. At least we know what can be accomplished in the chaos. Thank you, my Japanese friends! We are in your debt. 

2 comments:

  1. I'm not sure if you actually know any Japanese people or are familiar with their "Wa" philosophy, but their response during this tragedy is reflective of their national characteristic that is embodied by "Wa" (which is essentially about preserving harmony with others).

    I'm a little bothered by the statement that these Japanese people "chose" to experience the earthquake / tsunami / nuclear meltdown to teach the world how to behave in a crisis. I believe that souls choose their lives on earth based on personal goals and what lessons they want to learn. Because we agree to live on a living and breathing planet, we come into this aware that natural disaster could strike at any moment. I don't believe disasters are pre-determined nor punishment. Its just the natural effect of living on an evolving planet.

    We can learn much from the Japanese, but will we? No, because America's culture is individualistic. There's a theory in numerology that countries fall under the "rules" of numerology, which means our name affects our characteristic. "America" is a number 5 in numerology, which is all about freedom and individualism. "Japan" is a number 6 in numerology, which is all about family relationships. No surprise there, since elders are revered in Japan while youth is worshipped in America.

    Just my thoughts.

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