My Concern For Japan

I have been sincerely touched by the events in my hometown overseas of Yokohama Japan where I went to school in my first three years of educational training. Back then there were mostly dirt roads and that city was nothing more than a Navel base and a departing point of overseas cruse ships. The thing that got me was when I saw NBC nightly news showing footage of Yokohama crumbling before people running in haste to save themselves from being crushed by falling debris. It was very disconcerting for me. I may not be Japanese or have a vested interest in that country at this point but the thought hit me that some of those people who were running from the falling bricks could have easily been childhood playmates of mine. I lived not on base as most Americans did but in a Japanese town by the name of Kamahira, we lived among the people of Japan from 1950 to 1959 which at the time was rather daring. In order to play after school I soon learned that I had to make Japanese friends, and so I did, I just ran out into the streets where some kids where playing and hopped and hollered until they welcomed me. They did and I soon learned a new language so well that once we left Japan I could translate it for my Dad as we globe trotted our way back to the States. I am very thoughtful of how caring we need to be towards these people of this island nation, they are among the most polite and welcoming folks one could ever meet especially if one is in need of a playmate.