Peace

I wanted to know a little more about hibakushas. Originally I just think, "Okay, hibakushas are people affected by nuclear radiation." I didn't understand the devastation; the ugly truth of life afterwards.

What I found is horrifying. The pictures posted on some of the website showing deformity; humans looking like they've been baked. It's ugly. No words can explain the ugliness; words are too bland to voice what hibakushas experienced. What we've learned never ever get close to the truth, even the research and tests of these hibakusha. I think it is because of invisible barriers hibakushas and the Japanese, and others, are raising awareness rather than the anger they feel-- they've been so inhumanly destroyed physically. In most of the websites I looked into, it is about raising awareness to stop nuclear weapon development so that no other human being will be affected as such. In doing so they are also opening wounds, telling their stories.

One of the website describe their experience as "precious." That stopped me because I personally wouldn't think of such an experience as precious. It was a horrible experience. When I think of precious I think of it as something to treasure. Could the word mean anything else? I try to find another meaning but couldn't. Maybe I was being shortsighted.

*I am also reminded of the 1000 crane belief that when you fold a thousand cranes your wish will be granted; crane folding is an art origami a lot of people enjoy but not many people know how it became so well known. One reason was because a hibakusha, Sadako, folded 1000 crane wishing for peace*