Reflect

The residents of Futaba, Namie, and Tomioka, Japan did not know that March 11, 2011 would be an unforgettable day. First they were met with an earthquake and then a tsunami, which was followed by the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Evacuation orders arrived with almost no warning. In such breath-taking moments, we are reminded that life is a fragile gift that can and will be disrupted — not just for us, but for others as well. The comforts, familiarity, norms taken for granted, and routines that fill our lives can cause us to forget life’s uncertainty. In reality, however, we are all just one phone call away from being brought to our knees, no matter how comfortable we are. Acknowledging both the wanted and unwanted possibilities in life can ground us in the present moment and remind us not to take life and all that we cherish for granted.