just something so amazing.

Just something so amazing.

The majority of time, when I turn on the news or read the newspaper, the headlines are crawling with reports of violence, murder, corruption, disaster. Hardly anything good occurs. Its always the folly of mankind, our inability to deal with or cope with tragedy, our propensity for hurting other people. So when I recently heard about the relief efforts in Japan to rebuild after the devastating earthquake, subsequent tsunami and nuclear plant crisis (that'll cost $247 billion dollars,) it made me regain a bit of faith in humanity.

I read an article about the scientists at the plant working to control the nuclear cooling systems and how in ONE HOUR THEY ARE EXPOSED TO THE SAME AMOUNT OF RADIATION THE AVERAGE PERSON IS EXPOSED TO IN A YEAR. In ONE HOUR. That is so incredibly selfless and amazing. I cannot begin to articulate how much sacrifice and dedication they must put into their work. Knowing that they are likely the only ones with the knowledge to curb or stop it from melting down, knowing that international scientists are improbably willing to help, knowing that they need to risk their lives to protect others, they worked tirelessly. Things like this just astound me and prove that not everyone is all me-me-me and devoted to self-satisfaction. In the world I live in, where it is your assets and possessions that determine your value or use to others, and not your character or personality, this was a refreshing and welcome revelation – good and unselfishness does exist out there. We just have to find it. We just have to remind ourselves that altruism and sacrifice is out there, and that we best not forget those acts of kindness, nor the people that provide them.

Another recent report that made me sit down and reflect a bit was news that a group of elderly Japanese citizens had volunteered for cleanup efforts, most of them in their 70s and 80s and at a time when they should be relaxing and enjoying the fruits of their decades of labour. So they’re volunteering, like many seniors do. What’s the big deal? How about the fact that they are volunteering for radiation clean-up duty? Basically a group of 200+ retirees are volunteering to expose themselves to high levels of radiation so the younger men and women don’t have to. Mr Yamada, summed up his involvement like this: “I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live. Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer.”

I must say that after reading this, it made me feel ashamed for going about my daily business as usual with nary a second thought to the earthquake and disaster in Japan in weeks. I did donate twenty dollars, but what’s a couple of bills when someone half a world away is donating 10, 20 years of their lifetime? I realize that after facing destruction and devastation, we need to move on and return to our lives before the event to gain closure and rebuild – but sometimes to me I feel that step forward equates to disregard or ignorance of the issue. In instances of disaster like the Earthquake in Japan, the aftermath brought forth a lot of humanitarian aid and world-wide concern – selfless acts abounded and it seemed to bring forth a closer-knit community in the affected areas, small comforts in a ravaged war-like zone. It also brought a lot of apathy or hateful bigotry (many “remember Pearl Habour? This is karma” sort of comments proliferated on the Internet), but touching and heart-warming stories like the scientists and elderly group outshine those small, insignificant ignorant online. I, for one, certainly counted my blessings and was reminded of many things to be thankful for – writing about the impacts of the earthquake rather than living it; sleeping in a warm shelter at night; food in my belly. It seems that natural disaster occurring continents away can have a profound effect on those not directly affected, in good, eye-opening ways.