What of Japan and Loss?

The enormous tragedy in Japan reverberates around the world. The loss of life is profound. The loss of comfort and safety is devastating. We can only imagine what each morning brings to these people now as the anchors of the life they were leading only a few days ago are gone.


What lessons can we learn from this tragedy? What can we take and use from this senseless devastation? Well the obvious is love. Love our family and friends today, for tomorrow they may be gone. Love not only the individuals but the pattern of the very place you live. For Many of these people who survive in Japan the very root of their sense of place is gone. We must appreciate not only the people close to us but the very social structure we exist within. For some of these citizens in Japan their entire social structure is uprooted and must be rebuilt from scratch. Love, maintain and build your sense of place it is very important.


What of the things we possess? The world of objects considered precious only a few days ago for many and now gone for the affected Japanese people. Further the loss of these things is now trivial compared to the loss of the entire roots of family, friends and community. What of our things, what can we now learn of the transient nature of wealth and possession? Are we not putting way to much energy into the collection of items that will someday seem trivial? Should we turn away from the waste of low quality trivial purchases in favour of those things that might have actual value now and in the future?


Today some in Japan are hungry and thirsty. Some will remain that way for many days, some who are trapped in the rubble or lost at sea will die hungry and thirsty. Will these people at moments remember the food they might have wasted or the water they just poured away? What about us, is there going to come a day when we will sit and remember the wealth of food we now enjoy and remember how much we threw away?

Some people of Japan in the long run will come to miss the great landmarks of their communities that are now gone. We here sometime seem bent on destroying these landmarks. We must come to revere our heritage builds and structures for they are the links to our character and community personality.


There has been a lot said about nuclear power in Canada and it cleanliness. It is being reported that nuclear is a reasonable alternative to coal. Even Greenpeace has come out in support of nuclear power as a lesser evil. After the events in Japan is it really? Are we really prepared to continue risking our lives for electricity? I hear a lot about wind generators giving some people a headache or causing ADHD and stress. Is it not possible that these people were already feeling these things and the windmills are the scapegoats? I think the only answer to coal fired electricity plants is a huge reduction in usage and as much renewable energy as possible. Japan is in deep trouble due to the volatile nature of nuclear power.

We have been pompous enough to believe that our society is strong and unmovable. We sit on our hands without protecting those things we see as important. Japan is a country like us, not a third world backwater without strong infrastructure; they are likely stronger that we are, yet they have been laid low by natural causes, we can be laid low by our own greed and waste. We rationalize our actions because it is easy to do so without yet feeling the consequences. If we do not adjust our actions to a sustainable level, we will lose our resources and crush our society and culture. What happened in Japan overnight will happen to us and our children in time.

The truth is we do not have to give up the world as we know it. We only need to change some of the things we do. We need to set our priorities. We need to come to learn what is important and cherish it. We do not need to tear down our society only tweak it to a sustainable level.


I think we have some time but not much.

Saving ourselves from ourselves is possible, where the people of Japan could not save themselves from the power of this earthquake and Tsunami.

Leaders

Is it up to the government to lead the way or is it up to us? Do we vote stand back and expect fair treatment or do we call the shots and the government writes the laws that make it happen? Corporations and special interest groups know that they must lead and the government must react, we the citizens need to do the same. We can lead by our actions, by taking part in events that matter to the community, by being compassionate. We can lead by our words be vocal about the things that matter. We can lead by supporting groups that are already pushing for a better Canada such as the Council of Canadians.

Canada is a great place to live and we need to be grateful for, and vigilant in protecting this great peaceful Dominion.

You and I are one small voice in the wilderness of Canadian politics but as we shout together we will be heard.

What is your Canada?