I have nothing to say really.
When I was young, I read this book.
It was written by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. She is a Japanese television personality and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
It is a delightfully touching book, all about Ms Kuroyanagi's unconventional Japanese primary school education, where children of all abilities are cherished and learn in an atmosphere where the ravages of World War II are something non-existent.
Through her little girl eyes, we meet her friends, and learn about her school where freedom of expression and individual characteristics are paramount and celebrated. I've read this book over and over. If you can, get your hands on it.
Now they make me think about all the children in Japan.
This continuing devastation makes you want to scream at the sky "ENOUGH".
ReplyDeleteYeah im thinking of them too, x
ReplyDeleteI read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes in primary school, and clearly remember the project of hand-making cranes, then hanging them all over our classroom ceiling. I still have my same book.
ReplyDeleteI just checked out Sadako from google and learnt that : eventually they built built a statue of Sadako holding a giant golden origami crane in Hiroshima Peace Park.
Now every year on Obon Day, which is a holiday in Japan to remember the departed spirits of one's ancestors, thousands of people leave paper cranes near the statue. On the statue is a plaque: "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace on Earth."
Why'd ya have to go and make me all teary first thing Saturday morning...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it is a delightful book and I just can't fathom what's going on in Japan. I've heard there are Tsunami warnings on the west coast of Canada. It's so rare my country gets affected by crazy natural disasters. World has gone wonky.
It is so terrible about Japan. We were glued to the news all day.
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad. I can't stop watching the news.Our lives are like soap bubbles...
ReplyDeleteI feel so lucky.
Bobbi
it is all so devastating. thanks for the lovely pics, it helps in some little way as we watch the story unfold.
ReplyDeleteLovely post. There's a little award for you over at mine x
ReplyDeleteSo well said and read.....I'll look for the book!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. What can you say?
ReplyDeleteIt's all too gut churning.
ReplyDeleteAll of us can relate to the families lost and torn by this devastation.
Your post is poetic and moving .
It says it all for me.
These global tragedies make me feel very small in the wake of Nature's terrifying, developmental capacities.
I know. It's too much.
ReplyDeletebeautiful moving post about "nothing".
ReplyDeletemy heart is in my throat over it all.
thoughts and prayers all around!
Words cannot begin to say what the heart is feeling can it? When my skinny boy came back from Japan last year he was really affected by the kindness, generosity and tolerance of all the people he met. He feels Australians have so much to learn from their culture. The quake is just beyond awful.
ReplyDeleteis it just part of it or is my feeling correct, that the world seems to be getting crazier with each day that passes? like the earth is raging?
ReplyDeletelove and healing, over and out!
♥
This is a lovely way to post about the tragedy. So sad and scary
ReplyDeletelooks like a lovely book MMMC. I am so sad for Japan right now, I can only hope there will not be any more tragedy. Nuclear. Scary.
ReplyDeleteYou would love it there, it is a beautiful country.
x
What's happening in Japan is really beyond words. I can barely watch the news now. There is too much sadness this year. xx
ReplyDeleteBut the illustration looks like a little Chinese girl...
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteyou're right. She does look Chinese. Now she also reminds me of children in China, as well as children in Japan.