Story of the week

This is second hand, but there seems to be quite a few people around here who don't keep track of what day of the month it is, so many people needed to actually hear that 9/11 was this past week.

A couple people who I talk with around here was telling me about when they were visiting a small shrine around the area where we are staying. While they were around, they saw an old Japanese man coming and were worried that they shouldn't be there. (for some reason or another; not many of use can read signs...) He began talking in Japanese to them, though only one of them knew enough to really be able to converse. The rest understood some of the conversation, but were mostly just listening; they asked after the old man left.

He was apologizing and sending condolences to the Americans for what happened 7 years ago.

When the rest of the people I was with and myself heard this, we were quite surprised; compared to WWII, we were feeling that happened 7 years ago was nothing compared to what Japan lost in the 40s. It's just kind-of the response to everything we have been experienced when it comes to how the people around here are; everyone is so nice around here, but sometimes it's just amazing how compassionate.