Here is a forwarded email that I received recently on how the Japanese faced the calamities that befell them after the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, further compounded by the nuclear crisis.
The contents were so inspirational that I thought them fit to share with the readers of The Jakarta Post.
The calm: Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
The dignity: Disciplined queues for water and groceries, not a rough word or a crude gesture.
The ability: The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
The grace: People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody get something.
The order: No honking and no overtaking on the roads, just understanding.
The sacrifice: Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the nuclear reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
The tenderness: Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
The training: The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do and they did just that.
The media: They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins; no silly reporters, only calm reportage.
The conscience: When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.
Isn’t it amazing to know how the Japanese managed to embed such gracious discipline and unique national character even in these dire circumstances?
Surely, each one of us and the whole world can learn from the Japanese culture!
D. Chandramouli
Jakarta
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