Ms. KL (a women in her 70’s)K.L（７０代）

April 29, 2014 On the day of the disaster, I invited a family into my house, who came to refuge to a park near my house. Four days later, my son’s family and relatives came, a start of a community life of five families. We cooked rice porridge with a desk top portable stove, saw the burning sky reflecting a burning elementary school building, and took turn in getting water. After the disaster, I received a letter to my surprise. I met people I had never imagined for meeting and feel “connection” is very interesting. I’ve talked about serious topics such as “life and death” or “view of life” with many different people. What is richness as a human being? As I’ve been teaching picture letters (drawing pictures on postcards, letters, etc. that you send to people), I started receiving them from my group members all over Japan. And, I distributed picture letters of Japanese round fans that I received to the shelters. When I took some picture fans to a community center, I was asked to teach “picture letters” by the victims. Brushes, paint, postcards, palettes were all donated and I started to teach including children. The relationship, connected with a heart not with goods, may last longer. I want to continue passing on what happened with the disaster so that it won’t fade with time. Some people who came to my picture letter class wanted to talk more than drawing. Some people saw flowers after three years and started to talk about hope and tomorrow. At the age of 70, I want to draw pictures that are full of dreams at least for ten more years. I feel life and death close to me and adore every day. Sometimes, I think of the origin of myself. A big power of nature could be God. I think everything has a meaning. As a matter of fact, we bought a house three months before the disaster. My husband had a hunch and decided to buy it on the day we went to see it. If we were still living in our old house, we would’ve been victimized. With this new house, we could invite many victims in. The house many people come to visit and it’s safe for being on a higher ground. I think I am a quick decision maker, taking action right away. After I became ill with women’s disease at the age of 48, I became lighten up and realized that there was another myself. I was a housewife but started picture letters at the age of 50. With a single phone call, I started my picture letter class at the age of 54. I want to live for tomorrow with dreams and hope, getting more energetic.