Be Mindful and Listen to Your Inner Voice – A Lesson from Japan’s Tsunami Disaster

Time flies and Japan just made its first anniversary of the tsunami disaster. I always remember March 11 because it is my husband’s birthday and our personal experience associated with the disaster make it all the more enduring.

In the past, we have been traveling to Japan during this time of the year and it was no exception in 2011. We were planning the trip with a group of 20 plus working partners to go on March 8 to a mountain near Sendai. Strangely, I heard an inner voice ‘instructing’ me not to make the trip. In defiance of normal reasoning and for the first time ever, I convinced my husband not to go while the rest of the team postponed their trip to March 15 so that they could celebrate Ko’s birthday. On March 11 while cutting the birthday cake in the office, a partner called to break the news and we were all terrified. Then, I had a flashback of the ‘inner voice’ that had told me not to make the trip. We would have been right in the area of the disaster if we went.

Actually a member of our team went on March 8 and was stranded in Ginza for a week after the disaster. He returned to Hong Kong to share with us his experience and then we organized a charity drive to send necessities to the hard hit area.

This incident had taught me to be more mindful of my life and my loved ones. In our mundane life we take for granted everybody and everything around us, as if they will be with us forever. The reality is that they won’t, so we should treasure every moment. Live life to the fullest, so that there will be no regrets!

Think about the only surviving tree after the tsunami, which was dubbed the Tree of Hope. To me, this tree is more of a symbol of life than hope. Instead of looking into the future, this tree attests its faith in life in the face of adversity.

And try to spend some time daily to listen to your inner voice. It is always there for you to support your life journey.

P.S. I will be interviewed by RTHK Radio 3 on March 19 (Monday) between 1:15 to 1:30 pm. The topic will be on Green Living. Please tune in or email to my blog. Thanks!