Salute to the Japanese survivors

An old folk epigram runs: The most telling test of human character and endurance is brought to bear in life-and-death situations. In the words of Thomas Paine, “these are the times that try men’s souls” that summer soldiers and sunshine patriots often flunk.

Such perilous crucible could come unexpected and unbidden that spells the imminent “clear and present danger” phrase which may be man-made, or the colossal brute force and enormity of untamed wrath of nature.

What recently befell Japan could be the worst natural debacle in recent times, exacting more than 10,000 lives, and still counting, excluding those unfortunate victims still unaccounted for, and the unquantifiable and sweeping magnitude of the destruction.

Reports classify nature’s wrath as triple whammy – earthquake of 8.9 on the Richter scale, gigantic tsunami of the Pacific Ocean in its violent wake, and triggering aftermath nuclear radiation – actually the adverse effects are multitudinous. Like the domino effect, the ginormous misfortunes have also brought about utter hunger and thirst, dire homelessness, separation of families, physical and psychological trauma, and whatever else in the indescribable catastrophe.

And yet, the great wonder, way beyond ordinary human wonder, has been the true character, the finest mettle, of the Japanese people. Instead of the debacle drawing out the “beasts” in human nature, the resilient Japanese folk as a whole, has shown to the world their “best” personality and behavior that they have been known during titanic adversities.

Amidst the gruesome morbidity of death and dilapidation to our Nippon neighbors, as sadly depicted in global TV coverage, the survivors still behaved with their well-known personal discipline even in the wake of their misfortunes. If one recalls right, their character and disciplined deportment with such inner courage and calmness under stress, or “courage under pressure” theme of Jack Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage”.

There was no hysteria and panic in their behavior, no public display of en masse open wailing and panic despite their traumatic experiences. Of their stoic and controlled emotions, they kept to themselves with decency. Nowhere have global TV viewers seen any Japanese folk elbowing one another for choice position in the beelines for food or whatever aid given, or in patronizing shops for bare necessities. Courtesy and discipline had been the unwritten rule.

And the Japanese survivors also displayed under pressure that gentleness or mansuetude towards their Filipino co-survivors, as if treating our brethren with fragility in such refined empathy as if handling dresden china. Moreover, in the face of their individual disasters, the Japanese people are steadfastly patriotic.

 For instance, one who is married to a Filipina with a couple of young children, graciously gave way to his wife who wanted to come home with their kids while it’s still chaotic and problematic there, especially the radiation threat. The husband has temporarily parted with his beloved family, saying that at this time when Japan is yet to recover, he just can’t leave his country.

It’s indeed a great wonder for the Japanese survivors of the present generation tragedy that despite physical and psychological sufferings and trauma which fate has inflicted on them, their subdued resignation as resilient acceptance was not a surrender of their disciplined personality and character, and engrained cultural heritage.

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