Japan Earthquake/Tsunami: Day 6

THE PHONE RANG AT 6:00 A.M. THIS MORNING. Uncle Mako was screaming and crying with happiness. Cousin Yoshio's sister, Sako, in Yamoto, called him. Mako waited as long as he could before calling us, but couldn't wait any longer.

Sako said that Cousin Yoshio, his son and mother were safe and staying at her house (not at Sonoko's house inland of Sendai; I always wondered how he was able to drive over an hour to get there).

Cousin Yoshio had 15 minutes' warning before the tsunami. He must have driven like crazy to cross the Naruse River in front of the wave. He stayed at Sako's house one night; they had to leave because the first floor was flooded. They returned and are staying on the second floor. Cousin Yoshio walks to his son's house nearby during the day.

Maybe Uncle Mako didn't believe us when we said Yoshio was OK. Or maybe it was more "real" to him when he talked to Sako. She called when the phone was working in between the rolling black outs.

After the call, Bachan stayed in bed until 11:00. She's usually up and about around 8:00 in the morning. I put my ear to her closed bedroom door, but it was quiet. She said she was so upset hearing Uncle Mako scream and cry. She has never heard him cry before. Even though it was happy crying, she was still very upset. I brought her some coffee with Vanilla Coffee-Mate Creamer (she bought some the other day as a splurge instead of settling for the dry creamer from the $1 Store, maybe to soothe herself). She felt better after a while and was up and about.

We still have heard nothing of Auntie Eiko and her husband, Tomio, in Ishinomaki. Bachan calls him "Bal(d) Head." There are several people named Abe Tomio at evacuation centers. We are trying to find our Tomio.

REALIZATION. I have just realized how all consuming work can be. It's something we do and focus on and think about eight or more hours a day.

Without it, I find myself at a loss for something to do every now and then.

When that happens, I meditate, clean something, call someone, nap, visualize something wonderful, think of something beautiful, skip through the house or sing my happy song.

It is with direct and conscious effort that I focus on the good...every moment of the day and night.

And then I remember reading 21 Days With Braco (the Croatian healer I adore). I remember being struck with how often he just sat and visited with family and friends:  over coffee, during meals, while walking. I think Europeans do this far more often than we Americans. I noticed it in France.

So I decided to visit more or to just "be".

We're so busy "doing" all the time, we have little time to rest, be or think.

And feel.

With so many distractions, it's easy to ignore or drown out the quiet voice within. The one that guides us.

The lack of activity doesn't mean I'm not doing anything meaningful.

After all, connecting to Source doesn't look like much when you see it happening.

So I have given myself permission just to be.

And what about you? Will you take just five minutes to rest for a bit?

TODAY I TOOK BACHAN FOR A ONE MILE WALK AROUND HER FAVORITE PARK. She did well. We talked, appreciated nature and rested on benches two times. Then I took her to the store so she could buy two (not one) corned beef because St. Patty's is tomorrow and the meat is on sale. Plus she bought a 10 pound bag of tangerines with a 75 cents off coupon. She said she will be good for one weeku.

I CALLED BILL TO SEE HOW HE WAS DOING AT WORK SINCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AROUND HIM IS SHRINKING. He's doing OK.

ME:  I find moments where I'm not sure what I want to do with my time.

BILL:  You're always helping someone; someone at work, someone at home. You need to find someone to help, like volunteer. Teach someone to read, work at a soup kitching.

ME:  Hmm. Good thought.

May purpose surround you,


Catherine