Father's 107th heavenly birthday

It was my father's 107th heavenly birth day yesterday. As already reiterated it in this blog, he was born in 1919, the year of end of the WWI. Losing his parents early in his life, he has strived through the WWII era. Getting married to mother immediately after WWII, which had imposed him military duty and forced him to waste his precious time of youth, he finally built own family even in extreme poverty. 

Recently, I have discussed with my brother, a psychiatrist, how we were raised by parents. We were really poor but, strangely enough, not conscious of that in young days. Maybe, my parents were living in a kind of ethos that there were something more important than economical wealth in our lives. It might have made us free from the sense of poverty in life. I am not boasting this. They have not left us anything of richness but only that attitude of living. I owe it to them, especially my father.

 This photo has been posted before. The only family photo for possibly the golden wedding anniversary for my parents. Now all of us, their children, are as old as my parents at this time, 80, 77 and 72 resectively. May we go through the rest of our lives as they did.

For the past week or two, I have been working in the garden/farm. Sitting on a tiny chair and pulling the weeds, I often remember of my parents. I am keeping this propery as my parents used to decades ago. It is a small work but surely an honor to spend the last chapter of my life in this way. 

Until we might see again like at this wedding anniversary.   

A big earthquake in Kumamoto

 This afternoon, they have had a big earthquake with magnitude 7.1 in Kumamoto Pref, an area of southwest Japan. It has left extensive damages in the wide area. At a big shopping mall, the 2nd floor has collapsed and dozens of people, mainly the personnel, have been confined in the building. A high way was destroyed. Houses fell apart. No exact number of casualties is not reported yet. It is quite plausible that large number of people have been killed or injured.

I could not seismologically explain what has caused it. There is, however, the Median Tectonic Line, MTL, crossing Kumamoto Pref. MTL is recognized as a geological terminology but a fault, running from the central part to the southwestern part of our country. There have been a number of big earhquakes at various places along it in hundreds of years interval. It is really the largest fault. 

Around this earthquake epicenter, there are 3 nuclear power plants, NPPs, located. Actually, 3 of them are running at present. Ikata NPP is very close to MTL, only 6km away from it, in Ehime Pref. of Shikoku Island. It is an isolated place where they could hardly rescue or support the NPP once a serious accident should occur. In addition to the other 2 NPPs, it should be stopped as soon as possible. Actually, only 10 years ago, they have had a couple of big earthquakes comparable to this one. The faults directly cause earthquakes are not MTL itself but it is highly suspected the area along MTL is "activated" now. At least, in geological time span.  

Needless to say, the people affected by this disaster should be rescued soon. Without life line, it might be very tough for them to get through the situation in this hottest season of a year. 

Selling my private practice

Today, this old clinic is being sold. Since quitting work at this place 14 years ago, I am least concerned about this building. Yes, dreams and hopes were rammed into this house 31 years ago. My father used to dream with me at my own practice. He had helped us at the office for several years until he could not attend there by himself. It might be the last and biggest filial piety to my father. 

Honestly, I was not so much indulged in managing this practice. It was worth, however, working children for some years. I have given my cell phone number to patients and their parents when close observation was necessary or emergency could happen on them. Their phone numbers are still kept in my smartphone. I thought someday they should had needed my advice on phone even after closing my practice. Almost nothing! I am still their doctor while I am only a guy involved with in the past. Most of them might have grown up now. It is the time for me to delete those phone numbers.

The zelkova tree on the western side of the building has prevented from harsh sunray in the sunset. From my room on the 2nd floor, I used to see my father dragging his feet to his car after the lunch time duty as a clerk.
 

The reception room. My father used to be concerned about the books for the children in the book shelf. There used to be famous fairy tales or even books on peace. 

The examination room. It was not digitalized but was equipped with rhinoscope. 

The time as a pedicatrician is now completely over. I should step out now.

To make a sales contract, I would leave for a town nearby with my wife now.

Anonymized children

 Those children killed in Gaza and the West Bank are anomymized. They existed only as a number. UN commission has announced as below.

  https://www.instagram.com/reels/DaFtBswHZ6O/

This reminded me of Ivan telling Alyosha in The Brothers Karamazov that he would say no thanks to God for his savior so far as innocent children are shedding tears.

It is an absolute absurdity.