Dear Japan

You gave us this:

(For which most of us thank you in the moment. It's retrospect that gives us the problem. But you've definitely brought life to the party.)

You also gave us this:

(The first historical novel ever written: The Tale of Genji, authored by Lady Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century. How beautiful.)

Of course this completely changed how we enjoyed our music: 

(An original ad, with a little help from John Cleese.)

And I grew up wearing these:

(Except in the girl version, and without the chronometers. Not because I didn't like them–I LOVED them. I wanted chronometers. I just didn't know what they were for. But my husband does. I've bought him some chronometer-rich time-keepers.) 

I always wanted to learn to do this:

But without the beard.

After chowing on some of this:

(Kept me alive during college.)

But most of all, thank you for this: The Cherry Blossom trees. Your gift of friendship to America, in 1912:

We hope you heal. We hope we can help in some way. Prayers to you.