The year when it all changed

Last year, by this time, I was still in Japan. It was autumn, just like now here in Sweden. It was the harvest season and naturally there was a strong focus on food! Well, in Japan food is always important! I remember I enjoyed making natural sweets out of steamed Sweet potatoes adding some coconutmilk and chopped walnuts.  They look pretty yummy no?

The photos below used to make me happy but now when I look at them I get very mixed feelings. The pictures are taken a year ago from a local farmer's market in Nasu, situated in north Tochigi prefecture just beneath Fukushima prefecture. 

Recently I saw news that a couple of months ago, beef from Tochigi was banned due to high contamination levels. That means, beef from four prefectures now have been banned. So how about the rice, vegetables, fruit and water? Are they safe? How about all the innocent children eating this every day?

Looking back at last year's bountyful autumn makes me happy for the past. That we could live a life taking so many things, especially food for granted.  It makes me feel how rich yet innocent we were. Not knowing what was going to come. Not knowing how fragile life actually is and how one happening can change everything. 

Even if it sometimes feels like we can't do much to change the situation from the other side of the world, we can take a look at how we live. What kind of energy-sources are we supporting and what do we want to support? Are we ready to give up some comfort to create a more sustainable future? What kind of world do we want to create? What kind of world and lifestyle can we with confidence show and teach our children? 

While contemplating that, sending our love and healing to the people, to the nature and to this world that are suffering is a strong support more  than doing nothing at all. This is a great way to develop compassion. 

I pray for healing. I also pray for the correct information to be revealed in order for people to be able to make active choices. 

I pray for the children to have a bright future with a healthy nature to play in.