Moto and Liz in the Garden.  Moto took a self-photo of us today shown above and sent it to me with the following message:

 
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To escape TV images of our President who, against all better judgment for a case of dignified restraint in face of the human rights crisis our nation faces, continues to act like a side show barker stirring sensationalism for his agenda to keep his base stirred up with hatred, I went to the garden today to turn my attention to the beauty of nature and positive activity.

As usual, I was not disappointed. The garden always seems to yield up treasures that I am in need of at the moment. Today after pulling grass from beds and watering the thirsty plants, Moto, a 25-year-old man stopped by the garden.  Moto is from Japan.  Moto is on a two-week visit with a friend he worked with in Japan who lives in Garland.  In spite of  the fact that the USA flattened Hiroshima (his hometown) Moto still loves the USA and its people.   Of course, Moto is too young to have been around in August of 1945 but he grew up with the stories and in spite of it all has chosen love over hate..

I walked in the garden with Moto, showing him around and describing many of the plants in our garden.  He kept saying over and over how beautiful and peaceful the garden is. And how wonderful Texas is.

Being with Moto today reminded me of the enduring qualities of both love and nature—two of the most wonderful resources to be found on our planet.  Dr. Harold Jacobsen, a scientist from the Manhattan Project told us that Hiroshima would be barren of life and nothing would grow for 75 years. 

Nature had other plans.  The following spring new shoots were seen springing up from the debris all over the city.  Hundreds of trees are still standing today that were around the vicinity when the bomb went off.  Though broken and badly charred, they survived and soon were healthy again.  Each A-bombed tree is called a “Hibaku Jumoku” – survivor tree.  According to the City of Hiroshima there are about 170 survivor trees representing 32 different species.

Love and Nature will endure in spite of all appearances to the contrary.  Moto and “Hibaku Jumoku” affirm this truth.

Thank you for sharing time with me today, Moto.

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Speaking on Behalf of Love and Hope against all odds

The huge majority of people knocking on our back door from Guatemala and San Salvador are not criminals.  They are parents with their children who are trying to escape horrendous conditions in their own country—conditions that the USA played a part in creating over 50 years ago by orchestrating coup d’états and overthrowing their democratically elected leaders for the benefit of corporations such as the National Fruit Company. I hope that Americans will seek the whole truth of our history with these Latin American countries and not merely listen to snippets and video clips of hatred designed to further political agendas of a few.  If we send these families back, for many of them it will be a death sentence.  I’m extremely disheartened and sad about this situation.   

Once upon a time our government made room for people asking for asylum and we granted it.  I think that time is here again for this generosity of spirit from the American people. 

For those who read scripture:  Hebrews 13:2 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

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Disclaimer:  My thoughts and my comments on this situation as for any of my posts are my own and in making them I am not speaking on behalf of anyone else or in an official capacity for any of the many groups that I belong to.  This is a message completely from my heart and no one else’s.   I speak for myself as an American who believes that more Americans should come forward and speak out.  Silence too and failure to speak up also influences outcomes.