What I meant to write about Japan

I often say things in the wrong way. For this I repeatedly apologise. And when it's to do with the deaths of thousands, the erasure from existence of whole cities and communities, and severe ecological and economic damage to a leading world nation - it's often better to keep my mouth shut.

However, when the earthquake struck last week in Japan I found a lot of people reacting to it in a different way to me. As an example, this came to me via Robert Llewellyn (@bobbyllew)

RT @MiChmski: It's days like these that you realize what you were planning on doing for the day is not so important#earthquake #japan TRUE

Now I didn't react this way. It didn't shake my beliefs, nor did make me feel small or the day's task seem more insignificant. And this isn't because I'm a sociopath, nor a meglomaniac who arrogantly believe in his manifest destiny, nor am I an insensitive jerk who thinks that just because people live far away that they don't suffer unimaginably in times like these.

I was struggling to put it into words, and then someone did it for me. This came from a mailing list this afternoon.

"Our time here is fleeting and no matter what we do we can never gain security or stability, they are illusions. Millionaires go bankrupt, young people get sick and and die, families split up, earthquakes wipe out entire towns. They are all just facts of life.

Being secure in life is impossible, but being secure in your own insecurity and mortality isn't. It's the latter that allows you to become a happier person, and paradoxically, more secure in yourself."

Now I don't agree with everything Tim Browson, the author of the message, writes; but this is probably the best I could have put the way that I felt about the situation.

I know in the ultimate scheme of things, my life and everything I care about are as temporary and as insignificant as a slice of fairy cake. This doesn't mean that I don't care. I care a lot. But I recognise the inevitable destruction of everything. That recognition gives me a better perspective on which to spend the time of my life; and I intend to carry on spending it doing the great things that I love and which matter to me.