From Hiroshima to Hope

I first attended the Hiroshima Day ceremony in 1994, just after my father died, and have not missed it since. He would have been 84 yesterday, and this ceremony always falls one day after his birthday. This ceremony has come to be more important to me than Christmas and 4th of July combined. My father was a WW2 vet, stationed in the Pacific, and was expected to fight the Japanese. On this day, I sent out a lantern onto the water, in remembrance of my father, all veterans and their families, and all war dead. My calligraphy spelled out "Compassion." Everyone there created a personal yet communal peace memorial and wish, whether "Love" "World Peace" or a personal letter for a loved one.

We gathered, about 2000 of us, prepared our lanterns with Japanese or Punjabi calligraphy, folded Origami peace cranes, and listened to Taiko music and the Children's Peace choir. These children compose and perform songs of peace in 14 languages. Their music has been taken to Iraq for the benefit of Iraqi children in hospitals and orphanages. They were introduced by young Jewish and Muslim people whose alternated their delivery of heartfelt writings.

As we gathered to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, we were torn by many feelings. We grieved at all acts of violence committed during war, however well-meaning the warriors. We hoped that the forces of disunity that are especially strong this year will give way to a deep spiritual commitment by every individual to the oneness of humanity, and that this commitment will bring about peace both locally and globally.

The event was sponsored by area churches, peace fellowships, cultural organizations, the local chapter of the UN Association, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Imagine an international network of people working as allies, working for justice and nonviolence, fighting for ideals others may dismiss as utopian. Why can't we reject the old paradigm of "political realism" and adopt the new paradigm of "mutual interconnectedness"? Why not reject cynical realism and cultivate compassion?

We need to support peacemakers in the middle east who are working for nonviolent solutions. We need to emulate their courage wherever we are.

Comments

[Ally McLesbian]

DiAnne, thanks for sharing! You briefly mentioned this at DCP, and I had to look.

This reminds me, I need to get the %(*$#^$@(* out of my fundamentalist Christian Korean hellhole known as Los Angeles suburbia. Here, the more wars W starts, the better.

[Robin]

Beautiful.

Here's my comment, also sent to the author via personal email. I don't have much else to add, other than I lament very much the times we are in today. ALL of it was avoidable. All of the killing.

This piece and the message is really quite beautiful. In my anger and frustration, I forget that the primary force
against evil is positive intention. jeeze, don't know
if I should be an insurgent or a buddhist monk
meditation on total peace! These times have turned me
into a split personality.

[Charles Hall]

Hey Dio,
Nice report. I agree with your observations and opinions.

I miss our Dad.

Love, Chas

[Julie Lawyer]

The article and the pictures are inspiring.
Every inspiration towards peace is worthwhile.
Without peace how can there really be any real
happiness in the world.