It’s human nature to personalize everything. Even things we really shouldn’t.
When northern Japan was hit by that horrific earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March, I found myself glued to the television set for hours at a time.
I’ve visited Japan on eight occasions for about a week at a time, and I’ve made many friends there. So, my initial concern was for their safety. Most live in the Tokyo area, so they were fine. Shaken, but fine.
But one image stayed with me then, and it’s still with me now. You probably remember it: It was the clip that showed a number of houses literally floating away&mash;and floating inland&mash;as the tsunami engulfed the coastline.
That town was a destination of one of Japan’s bullet trains, and one of those bullet trains simply disappeared. This was the gist of the early reports.
And that’s when it got personal for me. On two occasions, I was a passenger on that very train route. I couldn’t help but think (selfishly, I know), “That could have been me.”
But since it wasn’t, I’ve taken part in a number of fundraising activities for the victims of the disaster. And I’d like to tell you about one that’s coming up on September 21. Actually, let’s have Decanter tell you about it here.
Burgundy wine can be expensive, and I guess that’s the point. This is a way that an auction house (Christie’s) can generate a significant amount of revenue in a short period of time.
There still are lots of people in Japan who remain displaced from their homes and are in need of assistance. Every dollar counts. The Christie’s Auction is one way you can help, but if you’d prefer to simply make a donation, the folks at ABC News offer this list of suggested charities:
- Save the Children: Emergency Relief for Japan Quake
- The American Red Cross: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief
- Salvation Army
- International Medical Corps
- Doctors Without Borders
- Global Giving
- World Vision
As I mentioned, every dollar helps, whether it’s through one of the above charities, or via the Christie’s auction.
As my friends in Japan would say, domo arigato (thank you).
