Long about 1994 I went with a Japanese friend with some others on a Shinkansen whirlwind tour of Japan, Land of the Rising Sun. My friend's father grew up in Hiroshima. His family was only saved on that deadly day 60 years ago because they were out on a holiday picnic in the country at the very instant the bomb was dropped. He doesn't talk about it. Still hasn't, and we dare not ask.
My friend has had a brain tumor. They cut her head open and successfully removed her lump but had to scuff up a little of her brain doing it. She has not been the same ever since. She was the mother of two beautiful daughters. Unfortunately, earlier this year, her three year old daughter died unexpectedly.
There is no way to connect these dots to the infestation of Hiroshima (and Nagasaki) with nuclear waste, but it sure is awful spurious. The sad part of it being, this family is one of the most loving, caring and wonderful set of people you would meet. They opened up their home in Japan to us (descendents of the very American's that dropped the bomb on them) and fed us, let us stay there and were tremendous hosts. On our last day there, my friend's mother fed us an incredible homemade sushi dinner - where we ate and drank until we could do no more.
On this day, the 60th anniversary of the atomic devastation that stopped the war, I reflect and feel remorse. I have been to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to view the twisted metal remnants and the peace parks in person. Not being alive or nary close to being able to affect any kind of decision that resulted in that outcome, my hope is that the memories of the horror live on so that they may not be repeated. Unfortunately, when our leaders fail to read history and ignore advice from their own parents we may be destined to repeat our past atrocities.
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