Healing Wounds with Love
These words were initially written for a little pack of band aids our temple gave out during summer festivals. Just a small reminder that we may take medicine or undergo procedures, but it’s really our bodies that heal themselves. When the historic tsunami hit Japan in 2011, grateful and needed as they were, most of the organizations were just collecting funds to send in support. Giving donations can make you feel good, but I could see it wasn’t enough, especially for children here who felt helpless to help. So we used the same concept from our band aid pack to ease the mental and emotional wounds of both the children who were relocated in Japan and the children and parents here in our community.
“Ganbatte” in Japanese is a word that embodies the spirit of “do your best/hang in there, we’re rooting for you.” Contacting Mercy Corps and Peace Winds Japan, we were able to secure a way to have any letters we collected here to be delivered to the relocated children in Japan. Getting the word out to the schools and setting up booths during various community festivals, many children, families, and even classes were able to participate and send in letters with photos, words, origami, and pictures of encouragement. You could see the effort and love that was poured into every letter, written by hand in English or rough Japanese (sample phrases were provided for first timers). People here were so grateful to have a channel for their grief and worry through a chance to help heal others in such a cost-free, simple, yet powerful way. We hope the children in Japan were also encouraged by receiving letters from children overseas they’ve never met (few photos below).
“Just bringing a gift won't console a sick person. The sick person will get stronger or weaker depending on what you say. If you are kind enough to pay a consolation visit, you should convey words which will strengthen his heart…” - Konko Daijin
I was in Peer Helpers in high school, took the NET (Neighborhood Emergency Training) to become a local responder, became an instructor for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers classes to get my mother to attend, and took a few TIP (Trauma Intervention Program) classes. Through these programs I’ve learned that wounds can be external or internal, and many times they’re both. But it was the teaching above which guided me to start thinking about and writing all of these "Words of Comfort” for people. The words don’t have to be poetic or polished, just sincere and caring. Priceless is a kind word that touches the heart.
“The pen is mightier than the sword.” Your pen can heal the deepest of wounds. To whom will you write?
