I didn't actually realize how much tonight's event would affect people in Japan in a positive way. When we got home, my mom's phone rang. It was a video call from friends in Tokyo. They had tuned in to pakele live online in order to watch their favorite, my stepdad and they also watched the entire night's line-up of about 5 different groups. When we spoke to them, they told us that they were both laughing and crying as the show had been entertaining yet emotional with messages from various artists reaching out directly to the people in Japan. My mom's friends also received the care package that my mother delivered to them. They were grateful and explained to us that they were so shaken that they had a hard time going to the store to pick up food--the result of the combined threat of nuclear contamination scare and never-ending aftershocks. The mood there is one of tension and anxiety. Everyone sleeps in their clothes with a jacket and shoes on standby, in case of another big quake. They have a hard time sleeping and wake up at even the slightest movement.
Needless to say, to our friends who tuned tonight, the broadcast was like a silver lining in the gray clouds. I'm amazed that what pitiful support I've contributed to a collective effort is actually working. I still feel helpless at every tragic story I hear of families torn and individuals lost to the disaster trifecta. If I could, I'd join the red cross and volunteer wherever possible. Fortunately, every little ounce of support and love sent--be it monetary, gestural or supplied, has been working to help friends, communities and perhaps even the nation of Japan. To my friends and family in Japan, I love you! Please remember that we're here for you and that we love you!
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