Well, I haven't even gotten to Northeastern Japan yet, but already I find it challenging to "do the right thing." Initially, I intended to stay at a local shelter for volunteers, but my sensei in Tokyo insisted that I reserve a spot at an inn instead, to be more safe and comfortable. Which I did, but immediately my conscience began to nag me. I was made aware by a Minnesota Japanese acquaintance that were I to book lodging in the earthquake-smitten areas, I might be taking a room away from a refugee who needed to stay there. "People in those areas say stay away," she wrote. "Don't come. Don't use up electricity. Don't take up lodging. Just send money."
Well, obviously I didn't take all of her advice, but it did stick in my head. So I called up the inn and canceled the reservation-- and felt much better. There's still lots of room for me to make stupid mistakes and be a nuisance, but at least I didn't take that last room at the inn! (Yeah, a Biblical reference is intended!)
It seems like it's hard to know how to do the right thing. How to do anything without making things somehow unintentionally worse. The business about the books in an earlier post was just the start, wasn't it? I feel like there is a clichéd quote about this but I can't think of what it is.
ReplyDelete"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." Although around here it seems to be paved with Republicans. ; )
ReplyDeleteBiblical reference and all, very nice!