We Americans have a lot to learn

Today was a somber but positive and beautiful day.  Arrived at my hotel and dropped off my bags, and headed out on foot to see Hiroshima.  In 1945, Hiroshima had a population of around 350,000.  Now it is over a million.  From the train station, this looks like a fairly pretty city, with lots of gleaming metal, well cared for pedestrian walkways, pedestrian malls that are covered with high end shops.  But as we know, it is the sight of one of the worst tragedies in the long history of the earth.

I did not know what to expect coming here.  I just knew that there was this thing called "The Peace Park" and that there was a memorial.  As usual, real life trumps the guide book.

I walked down this city street which emptied onto a bridge crossing one of Hiroshima's many rivers. On the other side was a beautiful city park with Cherry trees in full bloom.  There were families having picnics underneath the trees despite the impending rain.  Children were playing in the grass.  I saw a group of people carrying kayaks getting ready to put into the river.  I took a bunch of pictures, and then turned and was struck dumb.  Ground Zero (the original), the epicenter of the blast.  The building that has become etched in the history of mankind.  The building that survived solely because it WAS the point of impact (Little Boy exploded 600m above, so the blast did not affect that one building).

I sat and reflected in amazement.  I'm not ashamed to say that I wept in public.  Both out of sadness that humans could produce a weapon that caused so much destruction in a single use, but also of the incredible nature of the Japanese people.

I'm sure that if the roles had been reversed, Americans would not have created the same type of memorial.  Look at Pearl Harbor.  When I left the USS Arizona, I was sad for the people who died, and angry at the nation of Japan.

There was not one ounce of vengeance or anger in Hiroshima.  In fact, in the museum that honors the victims, the blame is placed on the JAPANESE government for "going down the path of war".  The entire park/memorial/museum is based on one premise.

We need to remember this so that NO ONE EVER DOES THIS AGAIN.  We as a society need to strive and work towards world peace.

What greater message could there be?

As I walked through the park, I reflected on these thoughts and how I could apply them to my life.  Forgiveness is so important.  As is Remembrance.  But the latter is only useful if seen through the lens of how we can move forward and ensure we don't make the same mistakes.

I also saw another amazing thing (I keep saying amazing in this blog), a group of very elderly people ringing a bell that commemorates the children victims of the blast.  These were survivors!!!

I'm off now to go get some okonomiyaki and maybe some local sake