11:02 AM local time, on 9th August 1945, B-29 Boxcar bomber belonged to the United States Army Air Force dropped an atomic bomb over the citizens of Nagasaki City.
Last year, I had my husband's niece visit from Akola, a minor city in Maharashtra, India to my mother's house in Fukuoka. During her first stay in Japan, what all I wanted to make sure of was taking her to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, which was about a two-hour bus ride distance from Fukuoka. So we visited, and then I read the overwhelmed shock on her face as we came out of the museum. I believe that was a necessary experience for her. Now, she is a brilliant first-year student of the Japanese language who is eager to learn more about Japan.
When I was a child, we were living in Nagasaki City for three years. My mother would take us to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum every year when we had our summer holiday begun. At that time, the museum building was old and worn with dimly lighted, which was completely different from the current one. I was so terrified of seeing the exhibits, including the video, as things looked so realistic.
Also, 9th August was a school day in spite of which fell in the middle of summer holiday period. In the school, we listened to the stories told by the people who suffered from the impact of the atomic bomb, or eye-witnessed the horrifying sight of the hell on the earth. Now, I thank my mother and school for giving me all those experiences; the fact of nuclear bombs dropped on the people for the first time in the history became my own memory.
Let's come back to my life in Pune in 2017. I just met a small girl begged me for something outside a shopping mall as I arrived there by car. She was such a decent young lady who opened the door and waited for me to come out. I broke out with laughter, then smiled at her and said "sorry not today, dear" as I patted her head (I know it is not a good custom in India of patting a strange child's head, but I couldn't help after seeing her cute gesture.) I swore myself that next time, I would carry some candies or chocolate bars for her. I don't want to ignore her. The sense of the gentle touch of her smooth curly hair remains in my palm.
We shall not ignore. We shall show the interest in each other.
Because everyone can take the first step of peace just by showing care for each other.
