A letter from Sendai

来自日本仙台的一封信

By Anne,Mar 15, 2011

写信人Anne，于2011.03.15

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.
       仙台现在恍若成了另一个世界（重创之后满目疮夷）。但我很荣幸有那么多帮助我很多的好心朋友。自从我原来的住所变成一个名符其实的“无法入住的窝棚”之后，现在我只能住在朋友家。我们共用诸如水、食物和火炉之类的日用品。我们一字排开地睡在同一个房间，就着烛光吃晚餐，相互聊天讲些故事。这画面是如此的温暖、友爱和美好。（当灾难到来时，人们反而忘记了相互之间的隔阂，忘记了个人恩怨，大家的心彼此连在一起，才能理解到大家是与爱同在的）
During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.
       这些天里我们相互帮助清理着我们杂乱不堪的家园。人们坐在车里，用车上的导航屏关注着新闻，当饮水供给开放的时候大家排着队领取饮用水。当有人家里的自来水接通时，他们会告诉给大家，以便大家带着水壶和水桶来取水。
It's utterly amazingly that where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another."
       我所在的地方完全没有抢掠、没有人插队，这是非常可敬的。人们把他们的大门敞开，因为这样地震袭来时可以快速撤出来。人们都这样说：“过去大家如何相互帮助，现在我们也这样做。”
Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.
       地震一直在持续，昨晚大概每15分钟就有一次。不断地有警报声，直升机也频繁地从头顶飞过。
We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.
       昨晚我们在家里接到了够用几小时的供水，现在可以得到半天的用水。在今下午也恢复了供电，煤气供应还没有恢复。但是这都只是局部供应，有的人得到供应，有的人不能得到。所有人都已经好多天没洗澡了。我们虽然觉得很脏，但其他对我们更重要的事已让我们顾不上那么多了。我喜欢这种从非生活必需中脱离开来的生活，完全生活在本能、直觉、关爱和生活必需的状态中，不只我如此，我们整个群体都如此。（放下了，就觉得轻松了，换一种方式生活，何尝不是好事？）
There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.
       很奇怪地这里出现了截然不同的两种世界。有些地方房子到处乱七八糟，然而还有房子旁边晾晒着蒲团和干净衣服。人们忙碌地排着队领取供水和食物，然而还有一些人悠闲地在遛狗。所有都发生在同一时刻。（真的是平行世界吗？不该出现在这个时刻的画面出现在了这个时刻，是时空交叉？还是一种全息投影？）
Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.
       也第一次接触到了其他意料之外的美妙--夜晚的宁静。街道上没有车，没有外出的人群。夜空中散布着点点星光。以往我通常只能看到2颗星星（应该一颗是木星，一颗是天狼星），但现在整个天空都满布着繁星。（星星们不是看不见，只是平时我们已经失去了关注星星的热情，追逐于表面的浮华，静下心来，它们都会出现在你眼帘。也跟心静自然凉是同样的道理）仙台山是如此的雄壮，在新鲜的空气下我们可以看到它的伟岸轮廓与浩瀚星海遥相呼应。
And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.
       当地的日本人真了不起。我每天都回到我的小窝去查看，以便在恢复供电时第一时间发出这封邮件，就在我的大门左边我看到一些水和食物。我不清楚是谁送来的，但它们确实地在那里。带着绿色草帽的老人一家挨一家地查看是不是所有人都还【安好】。人们与完全陌生的人交谈，问他们是否需要帮助。我没有看到任何害怕的表情。顺其自然，就对了；但请不要害怕或恐慌。
They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.
       他们告诉我们可能将面临更多余震，甚至其他的大震，可能是一个月后，也可能是几个月后。我们就这样生活在连续不断的震颤、轰隆声、摇晃、咕咕声中。我很庆幸我能成为比其他地方更鼓舞人心的、更团结一致的仙台大家庭中的一员。因此，到现在这里比其它地方的情况要好。昨晚，我朋友的丈夫从乡下过来，给我们带来了水和食物。再次感恩！
Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.
Thank you again for your care and Love of me,
With Love in return, to you all,
Anne
       不知为何此时我直觉上意识到此时全世界确实行进在一个伟大的宇宙进化之路上。也不知为何当我经历现在在日本发生的一切之时，我能感觉到我的心境非常开阔。我哥哥问我有没有在这所有突然袭来的事情面前感觉到自己的渺小了，我没有这样的感觉，相反，我在这些事件面前感觉到远超自我的强大。尽管（全世界的）新生之浪潮面临重重险阻，但依然壮观。
       再次感谢你们对我所给予的关照与爱。唯有以爱回应，给你们所有人。
Anne。