Earthquake

The internet, news media and personal experiences have made sure the world knows about Japan's recent earthquake. Pictures and video of the worst of the worst are ubiquitous. The inherent adrenaline boost from these images and ideas makes everything exciting -- even if it's in that gut-wrenching way that makes you feel pity, or a fear for others.

However, at the end of the day, you keep coming back to the same thoughts: "I'm SO lucky to be living here and not there" or "Thank god we decided not to travel!"

I've seen it before; there have been quite a few natural disasters in the last few years that I know only through external media. Hurricane Igor would be one exception, but even after experiencing Igor, I only saw the worst of the worst when it was all over and the news got hold of the most adrenaline-boosting images.

Thankfully, this hasn't changed for me. I am lucky to be living here, and it is a good thing that we decided not to travel this week. However, the situation has changed. Because I live in Japan now, all my friends and family worry that I might fall into the earth, or get swept out to sea. Because I live in Japan, I worry myself that some day, a ground-breaking earthquake might not spare me or the people here that I care about. Given my circumstances, my sigh of relief this time was much more pronounced than anything I sighed about at home.

But being that I live where I live, experience what I experience, and know who I know, I think my worrying should be pushed to the back. I still wouldn't give up this experience for anything, and I still love Japan for all it's quirkiness and awesome ingenuity, and emphasis on peace. Moving here is still one of the best decisions I've made, and I don't expect that to change for better or for worse.

For now, people much further north than us need thoughts, prayers (and, *ahem* money) much more right now.

Just gonna leave this here for info, interest, and just in case you feel like donating.

http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=000005&tid=003