10 Things to Learn from Japan

Posted on March 28, 2011 by instituteB

• 1. THE CALM
  Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
• 2. THE DIGNITY
  Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
• 3. THE ABILITY
  The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
• 4. THE GRACE
  People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
• 5. THE ORDER
  No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
• 6. THE SACRIFICE
  Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
• 7. THE TENDERNESS
  Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
• 8. THE TRAINING
  The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
• 9. THE MEDIA
  They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
• 10. THE CONSCIENCE
  When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly

Shirley Seto, a friend of iB’s, forwarded this message to us. We were inspired enough to share it. If you haven’t yet donated to the Canadian Red Cross’ Japan earthquake relief fund, you can do so here.

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Ciao for now.