Stonewalk Japan 2005 - Press Article

I remember the excitement I felt when Peaceful Tomorrows had its face-to-face gather in Washington, D.C. last year and the proposal for a "Stonewalk" in Japan was brought forward. At that time, I had forgotten about the pain and the agony and the literal and emotional "ups" and "downs" that Stonewalk brought to me during the few days that I participated in the 2004 Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk from Boston to New York, between the national political conventions.

As a "stonewalker", I feel like a dilettante, since I only did a few days each of these two times. Nevertheless, it is undeniable what pushing that stone -- being with others out in the streets doing it -- does to you. I would not trade the experience for anything. It is not just a matter of going through symbolic suffering for the sake of those who died needlessly in war. It is something physiological as well, like practicing a musical instrument or training for and participating in a marathon. You are changed by the action itself. Although I don't know the other people I met on the two Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalks very well, I know beyond a doubt that this is what happens to them, also. In particular, those who walk from beginning to end must have an outlook on the world so profoundly changed that I can't even begin to imagine it! I still wish I could attain that outlook myself.

The experience of anyone who sees Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan passing by is something I can't imagine, especially when it is through the city streets and on the country roads of Japan. During the few days I was on the walk here, I "drove" the caisson most of the time, because I was not up to the physicality of pushing as much as I had hoped. (Jetlag and being out of shape really did me in!) While I was sitting in the caisson, I watched the people and the landscape go by. Many people would see us and not show an outward reaction. But, just as in Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk 2004, others would suddenly show up and grab a bar to push. Some of these people had heard from friends who had pushed a few days ago and called ahead to let them know they should come out and join the walk for as much time and kilometers as they could -- that's how meaningful it was to many of those who participated. Some people thought they would push for a few minutes and ended up staying at a bar of the caisson all day.

Staying overnight in temples, churches, hotels, and family homes is part of the experience of Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan. After a day out on the road, getting together with people along the way who were supporting the effort with housing, food, and good company was completely reassuring for the human spirit. It was the daily symbolic confirmation that we were "getting somewhere". I am grateful for the opportunity to have met so many like-minded people both in the group and along the way.

I left the walk to go ahead to Hiroshima after a few days, to try to help with communications in preparation for the arrival of Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan in Hiroshima in a few days. Taking the train from Yamaguchi to Hiroshima felt like cheating! But I did get to talk to Yoshimi Tokunaga, who is very involved in the preparations for the closing ceremony for Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan. She and many other very skillful people have made great plans for the public activities around Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan. Although I wasn't there in Nagasaki for the beginning, I understand from Andrea that the beginning ceremonies there were incredibly beautiful and memorable for all those who participated. Hiroshima's activities promise to be just as exciting!

While in Hiroshima, I was also able to renew my acquaintance with Mr. Saeki Masahiro, a world musician and owner of Otis's Tex-Mex restaurant, which is a block up the street from the convention center where the International Conference Against A- and H-Bombs is held each year. I first learned about Mr. Masahiro and his restaurant when I was here in 2003 for the conference that year. Mr. Masahiro himself was in New York earlier this year, performing his uniquely wonderful brand of world music as part of the anti-nuclear events at the United Nations and the walk to Central Park. As a musician, I was keenly aware of the close connection that the spirit of people like Mr. Masahiro can have with the spirit of world peace and understanding. Talking with him about the musical communication that is possible between people who don't understand two words of each other's language is exactly like talking about Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan, reaching out to people in the city streets and on the country roads of a foreign country, where you have decided to walk pushing an incredibly heavy load, where you have decided to make a human connection and overcome barriers to communication and understanding. It's the same thing.

So for me, coming to Japan to do a few days of walking in Peaceful Tomorrows' Stonewalk Japan and renewing my acquaintance with Hiroshima and Mr. Masahiro was a rejuvenating experience. It will help me focus once again on what is important to try to live for - the peace and understanding that must eventually come to the world. It may not take some people several thousand miles of travel and several aches and pains and sunburn to get that focus, but that's how it happened -- once again -- for me.