The developing tragedy in Japan has been particularly painful for me to watch. When catastrophes occur around the world they are always saddening, to be sure. When one has a connection to a country that is suffering, it gets personal. Other than the United States, Japan happens to be the country where I have resided the longest. In fact, more than 6 months of my life have been spent in Japan at various times, including a four-month stretch in the late 1990′s. The Japanese people have always been warm and welcoming to me and Japan remains one of my favorite places on earth to visit. Now, as this calamity plays out, countless lives have been lost in cities that I frequented.

As recently as last summer, I journeyed to Japan to give clinics and judge a Skyhoundz Qualifier near Saitama, a “suburb” of Tokyo. There was even a small earthquake that could be felt during the competition. I have experienced dozens of quakes during my time in Japan and, although unnerving, you get used to them after awhile. But, a magnitude 9.0 quake is an event I can’t even begin to imagine. Thankfully, rumbling 3.0 to 4.0 temblors, lasting only ten or fifteen seconds, represent the extent of my experience with quakes. That said, even small quakes cause buildings to sway, and picture windows to undulate in-and-out, like a bass speaker on your home stereo.

Slowly, but surely, I have been hearing reports from friends and acquaintances of their own personal quake-related experiences. Thankfully, most only felt the big quake and are now dealing with the comparatively minor hassles of rolling blackouts and a lack of phone service. There remains a sense of dread and sadness punctuated by moments of terror when aftershocks –themselves large earthquakes — rumble through with frequency. And, not surprisingly, there is great concern about multiple failing nuclear reactors and potential exposure to radiation caused by core meltdowns which may be occurring as I write. Images of mushroom clouds over exploded containment buildings conjure up memories that must be painful and frightening. I would imagine that those images are as distressing to our Japanese friends as images of the collapsing twin towers still are to us Americans.

Even though Japan is half-way around the world, and most U.S. citizens have never been there, U.S. disc doggers count many Japanese among their friends. That is the reality of our canine disc lifestyle. We travel to enjoy our passion. When we do, we are often privileged to spend time and become friends with folks from other countries who travel to our country to compete. This great sport of ours let’s us become part of the larger world even if we can’t travel and personally experience other cultures.

I know I speak for all disc doggers when I say that we share the pain of our Japanese friends, and we pray for a speedy return to normalcy. Our hearts, as well as our doors, are always open.

Posted in JP
No Comments Yet Posted by admin