ゴミ "Gomi," a word I will never forget..

I have always wondered at the amount of garbage that piles up when I am in Japan. At times, it pains me, worries me and makes me wonder how one single human being could "produce!" all that stuff! Not that I haven't experienced the same when living alone in India, but the amount was lesser. Here, since everything is packaged from juice to chicken, as one consumes, there is a huge amount of garbage that piles up. Being alone, I typically move the garbage out once a week on the specific days and every time I do so it fills with regret and makes me stare with wonder at all the things I have consumed in a week! A fuel guzzling monster perhaps!(laugh!) On the lighter side, when will we have humans with hybrid technology who consume a bit less?!

Musings

今年の漢字は「絆」だって！Good one.
Yesterday I read the following in a book I was browsing through:
"Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have."
Precious words indeed!
I wish everyone "happiness" & 「絆」。
Take care and keep warm.

Corbett's India

"In my India, the India I know, there are four hundred million people, ninety percent of whom are simple, honest, brave, loyal, hard-working souls whose daily prayer to God, and to whatever Government is in power, is to give them security of life and of property to enable them to enjoy the fruits of their labours."

"...and when Hindu, Mohammedan, Depressed Class, and Christian could live, work, and play together in perfect harmony. As could be done today IF (emphasis mine) agitators were eliminated, for the poor of India have no enmity against each other."

"Those who visit India for pleasure or profit never come in contact with the real Indian - the Indian whose loyalty and devotion alone made it possible for a handful of men to administer, for close on two hundred years, a vast subcontinent with its teeming millions."

-Corbett, Jim "My India" OUP India.

This comes from a man spent most of his life among the admittedly poor often described as 'India's starving millions.' And, a person who once himself was reduced to a chapatti and dal existence.

Why do modern Indians want to "forget" this India? The qualities described above are the same ones required to make a great nation, both culturally and technologically. Do we need to look elsewhere for so called "progress"? Or, do we simply need to look within ourselves and listen to our soul?

The girl who silenced the world for 5 minutes

Here is a speech by a young school girl, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, who gave a fiery speech at the UN. She was awarded for the same in 1993. I wish all the school children in this world see this and feel inspired and find real meaning in learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPI04IPiwbg&feature=related

The Forgotten Bundle

Yesterday, when I was traveling, the bus stopped at a bus-stop and a young girl got in, went straight to the driver and asked if she could look for something she had left inside. She had forgotten a bundle when she had been on the bus on its previous trip to the station. She found her bundle and got off the bus after thanking the driver. Could this happen anywhere other than Japan? Could this happen in India in my lifetime?
※This was not the first time I experienced this type of incident. Such incidents make living in Japan a pleasant experience. I hope Japan holds on to such values till the end of time.

White Capped Bay

Typhoon will soon be visiting this part of the world according to the weather report. The inland sea looks an ominous gray-green in color with dark overhanging clouds. The gusty wind is making the waters quite choppy with white capped waves flitting over the surface of the water and crashing on the shore.

p.s. It is easier to walk with the wind pushing from behind (as long as it stays behind!).

Congratulations Nadeshiko Japan!!

Admirable Japan stunned the US on penalties to win the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament in Frankfurt this morning. Kumagai Saki's spot kick decided everything after a 2-2 draw at the end of extra time. This win is Japan's first and the first by an Asian team. Bravo! The new world champions have arrived!

This team was tough right from the word go. But to win finally, that brought tears of joy to millions of Japanese. Superb tournament! Well done!

It was not an easy way to the top.

The following heart warming Cinderella Story tells us how it happenned. Read on:

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201107190357.html