Repose

Another afternoon at the B.O.E.

The morning started off with a radio announcement, one I did not completely understand at first. As I looked up from my textbook, I began noticing that some folks were standing, heads lowered, and eyes closed in what seemed to be a group prayer. Then it dawned on me that this was in remembrance of the nearly 70,000 people who died in Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945.

I was offered no directives during this silent period, so I decided to rise in support of my peers. As we stood in silence, I began putting myself through the ringer, imagining that it might not be wise to join the group in the same manner during this time. Perhaps there were ill feelings about my presence given my nationality… Would people be offended? Should I leave them in peace as Japanese people remembering a Japanese tragedy?

As I debated over the most politically correct way to proceed, it became obvious that no one was concentrating on me or how I was presenting myself. I decided to forget what separates us as westerners and Japanese and embrace our commonalities as human beings.

The silence, which seemed at first to last for an excruciatingly long period of time, developed into a meaningful moment of reflection and ultimate repose. At its conclusion, a simple group nod was enough to signify that life is a precious gift, one to be cherished.