"Kizuna : The bonds of friendship"

Funny things happen when you don't expect them.

Evening blog readers! 

I was in my garden doing some art earlier and I had a newspaper over the table so as not get it covered in glitter and I was this peeping out from under my sketch book: 

 At first I ignored it and then I realised that I had no idea what it was about, turns out it was a letter put into every newspaper from the Japanese President say thank you for the kindness all the countries who have helped Japan after the earthquake and tsunami.

One particular sentence stood out for me and that was this: 

"" We deeply appreciate the Kizuna our friends around the world have shown and I want to thank every nation, entity, and you personally, from the bottom of my heart."

Something about this made me stop and think, why is it that Naoto Kan decided he wanted to thank the world for helping. For so long gratitude is just assumed, if someone lends you a pen you assume they know how grateful you are, if someone saves you a seat on the bus you assume that they know just how much you wanted that seat. It's only on rare occasions that someone goes to the lengths, such as this, to thank someone for something they did. Personally I grinned when I read this and I felt so proud to have taken part in charity events at my school, not for the fun but to give money to Japan. A message like this really can make something so small as giving £1 seem so much greater when you know that it really did help and those you gave the money to really did appreciate it. 

So next time someone does something nice for you then remember to thank them, maybe don't put a letter in a newspaper but find a little way to show your gratitude.

As ever, much love

xox

HarrietCorey