Hiroshima

I'm not sure why but I had a strong desire to experience Hiroshima after reading about it in the travel guide. I suspect God put it in my heart to go there because He is still working overtime on my character development. Writing the rest of this blog was easy and fun but writing this part is hard because Hiroshima is a hard topic, period. I could write volumes on my thoughts and feelings while I was there but I will try to be concise. If I could wrap it up in a sound byte I might say something like this: "I came seeking understanding but there was none to be found." That's what I wrote in the guest log at the Memorial Center. It's one thing to learn about what happened at Hiroshima in school or read about it in a book and it's quite another to go there and walk through the exhibit for several hours surrounded by myriads of beautiful, kindhearted Japanese people. Suddenly, justifications regarding the rightness of the action seem shallow when you look at the several exhibits in front of you containing the blood stained clothing of children and youth who were killed by the bomb. Then you look at Japanese children viewing the exhibit next to you and the world goes blurry. I've rarely ever felt more self-conscious of my own heritage. It is sad indeed that freedom and peace are so elusive and that you must often give up one to have the other.
Those of you that know me well know exactly what my beliefs are regarding freedom and peace but I am not going to elaborate on those here. Some things are better communicated by the lives we live. And for my new friends that will be much better than words.

[Picture: I had many pictures from which to choose but I thought this one with Japanese children ringing the bell at the Children's Peace Monument was the best - If you want to know more you can read the Sadako Story here: http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/kids/KPSH_E/top_e.html ]