Item Description
May 17, 2014
On March 11, slime and debris buried my jewelry shop. I thought I lost it forever. However, new ideas came to my mind one after another when I climbed up a small hill next day and thought about “what I should do”, “how I should live my life”, etc. I continued climbing that small hill every day. After one week, when I returned to my shop, it dawned on me that I was not the only person who was affected by the disaster.
Volunteers came with water and washed many things that became dirty with slime for us. Then, it dawned on me that my customers’ jewelries must have gotten dirty too. I wanted to clean them to make them pretty again. I sent postcards to 300 customers asking them to bring dirty jewelries and sent them to a cleaning vendor by couriers. Once they came back cleaned, I put them in a pretty bag or case and returned to customers. Jewelries were sparkling again! I just wanted to clean them not to sell anything. After the disaster, I checked a list of deceased in the newspaper everyday to confirm there were no names of my customers.
I entered in to a drawing to win a retail space in the temporary shopping area and won the space. I wanted to do something useful for others, something that can only be done now to my best. I believe it will come back to you if you care others with what you’d feel happy to receive. I’m a type of a person who takes immediate action if something comes up to my mind. I thought about how to run this shop, how this town should recover, etc. and went to a bank asking for a loan. My enthusiasm and drive convinced a banker who told me felt radiance out of me. I can run my business largely owing to my customers, employees and people around me. I’m so thankful for them and want to do something for them. I should not be wondering and go straight to the goal. I trust my hunch to be successful. I opened the door by myself, it’s a notable step I take. I had a tough life in my 30’s and 40’s, tried to be financially independent since my younger years, had an unforgettable event at the age of 57. That’s when my neighbors in the community helped me by taking my mother in law under their care. I’m forever thankful to them.
It doesn’t worth to compare with others. I think image is important, so I want to create a great shop even though it’s a temporary shop. The result will follow. People cannot live alone, so I value people and make a small connection grow into a strong pipe. People somehow gather around me and have a talk. I think human is wonderful and feel grateful for being one of them. After the disaster, I took classes for computer and making announcements to be useful for others. It’s important to help others and deal with what’s in front of you. I became very ill at the age of 39 but am living with full power every day after the age of 60. My life is full of curiosity, just like being a little girl forever.
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Media Type
Layer Type
Archive
Testimonial
Geolocation
38.429333323855, 141.30291635383
Latitude
38.429333323855
Longitude
141.30291635383
Location
38.429333323855,141.30291635383
Media Creator Username
Naomi Chiba
Media Creator Realname
Naomi Chiba
Frequency
Archive Once
Scope
One Page
Internet Archive Status
Not Submitted
Language
English
Japanese
Media Date Create
Retweet
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Japanese Title
M.N（６０代）
Japanese Description
３月１１日当日、自分の宝石店を津波が襲い、ヘドロとガレキに埋まりました。“もう 店はだめかなぁ”と思いました。しかし次の日、小高い丘を登り“自分はどうすべきな のか、どうしようか、どう生きたらいいか”と考え始めると、アイデアが次々と浮かび ました。その小高い日和山へ毎日登りました。一週間後、店へ行き、“被災したのは自 分だけじゃない”とわかりました。
ボランティアの方々が水を持参のうえ、いろいろな物を洗っていただきました。そう しているうちに、“お客様の宝石も震災で汚れただろう。その宝石をクリーニングして あげよう。きれいにしてあげたい”と思いつきました。３００人のお得意様にハガキを 出し、汚れた宝石を持ってきてもらい、業者に宅配で送りました。クリーニングして きれいになった宝石を、きれいな袋やケースに入れて、お客様にお返ししました。生 まれ変わった宝石。物を売るためじゃなく、ただクリーニングしてあげたかったので す。震災後から、毎日、新聞で死亡者リストを見て、お客様の名前がないか確認しま した。
仮設商店街の店舗の抽選に応募し、当選。自分も何か役にたちたい、今しかできない ことを精一杯やろうと思いました。自分がしてもらって嬉しいことを、他人にもする と、自分に巡ってくるのです。思ったらすぐ行動のタイプ。この店の、この町でのあ りかたを模索。銀行へ相談。意気込み、やる気が通じたのか銀行が、相談にのってく れる。その担当者いわく”オーラを感じる、側にいたい“。自分が商売できているのは、 お客様、従業員、周囲の人達のおかげ。感謝。みんなに何かしたい。迷わない、直行。 必ずできると信じます。自分でドアを開く、ちょっとした一歩。３０代から４０代は 苦労の連続。若いころから 経済的に自立をめざし、５７歳で生涯忘れられない出来 事があり、そんな時、町内のみなさまに義母を預かっていただき感謝です。
人は人、比べない。比べてもどうしようもない。イメージが大切ですから、仮設店舗 だからといって中途半端にせず、ちゃんとしたものを作りたい。結果は後からついて きます。ちょっとしたきっかけを太いパイプに。人を大切に、一人では生きられない。 自分にはなぜか人が集まって来て、相談していきます。人はすばらしい、人間でよか った。震災後、パソコンを習い、アナウンス教室にも通いました。誰かのために役に 立たなければと思います。みんなを助け、目の前のことを確実にすることが大切です。 ３９歳で大病。６０歳を過ぎたら、毎日全力。好奇心いっぱいの人生。万年少女みた い。
２０１４年５月１７日
English Title
Ms. MN (a woman in her 60’s)
English Description
May 17, 2014
On March 11, slime and debris buried my jewelry shop. I thought I lost it forever. However, new ideas came to my mind one after another when I climbed up a small hill next day and thought about “what I should do”, “how I should live my life”, etc. I continued climbing that small hill every day. After one week, when I returned to my shop, it dawned on me that I was not the only person who was affected by the disaster.
Volunteers came with water and washed many things that became dirty with slime for us. Then, it dawned on me that my customers’ jewelries must have gotten dirty too. I wanted to clean them to make them pretty again. I sent postcards to 300 customers asking them to bring dirty jewelries and sent them to a cleaning vendor by couriers. Once they came back cleaned, I put them in a pretty bag or case and returned to customers. Jewelries were sparkling again! I just wanted to clean them not to sell anything. After the disaster, I checked a list of deceased in the newspaper everyday to confirm there were no names of my customers.
I entered in to a drawing to win a retail space in the temporary shopping area and won the space. I wanted to do something useful for others, something that can only be done now to my best. I believe it will come back to you if you care others with what you’d feel happy to receive. I’m a type of a person who takes immediate action if something comes up to my mind. I thought about how to run this shop, how this town should recover, etc. and went to a bank asking for a loan. My enthusiasm and drive convinced a banker who told me felt radiance out of me. I can run my business largely owing to my customers, employees and people around me. I’m so thankful for them and want to do something for them. I should not be wondering and go straight to the goal. I trust my hunch to be successful. I opened the door by myself, it’s a notable step I take. I had a tough life in my 30’s and 40’s, tried to be financially independent since my younger years, had an unforgettable event at the age of 57. That’s when my neighbors in the community helped me by taking my mother in law under their care. I’m forever thankful to them.
It doesn’t worth to compare with others. I think image is important, so I want to create a great shop even though it’s a temporary shop. The result will follow. People cannot live alone, so I value people and make a small connection grow into a strong pipe. People somehow gather around me and have a talk. I think human is wonderful and feel grateful for being one of them. After the disaster, I took classes for computer and making announcements to be useful for others. It’s important to help others and deal with what’s in front of you. I became very ill at the age of 39 but am living with full power every day after the age of 60. My life is full of curiosity, just like being a little girl forever.
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