Author Archives: Anne Thomas

About Anne Thomas

"You have to be somebody before you can be nobody." I cannot remember who said these wise words, but I love them. I love the idea of becoming transparent after building up to a tremendous fullness. I love how life constantly evolves. It gives and takes away. We consciously build up. And if we are wise, when the time is right, we just as consciously disassemble. If we don't do it, life does it for us. Our projects, our involvements, our lives, our selves come together and disintegrate over and over again. In this particular cycle of my life, I seem to be peeling away. Life is bringing many losses, yet also a deep sense that all is as it should be. It is a time of letting go and of being let go. And maybe this is a new phase of becoming more transparent, of finally becoming "nobody." Surely no one any more special than anyone else at all. The beauty of an ordinary life.

A lifetime of learning

Kristin 09 ODE

Ode to teacher Kristin Newton more

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Letters from the ground to the heart

Anne Thomas

An inspiring account of beauty amid the destruction of Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami. more

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Measuring up to the new year

Namahage

The Japanese ritual of Namahage teaches important lessons to children, and reminds them that they are an integral part of the community. more

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Japan’s recovery continues

This combination of three photos taken over a six-month period shows aftermath of the March 11, 2011 tsunami and its cleanup progress in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, in northeastern Japan. The left photo, taken March 12, 2011, shows The No. 18 Kyotokumaru fishing vessel sitting amid still smoldering debris after being swept away from a port by the tsunami. The middle photo, taken June 3, 2011, the ship staying along with collected damaged vehicles. The last photo taken Sept. 5, 2011, shows the ship sitting in the same position amid almost cleared land. Kyodo News reported that there is a movement among citizens to keep the ship as it is as a monument of the disaster. Photo: AP / Kyodo News

Japan’s transformation is a testament to what can be accomplished when people put aside individual differences to work for the collective good. more

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Family volunteers internationally

The Otomo family | Photo by Anne Thomas

One family’s dedication to public service—at home, and abroad. more

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Bringing ’500 Frogs’ to Fukushima

Photo: likeablerodent via Flickr

Vibrantly painted frogs from across the globe remind Fukushima’s children that they are not forgotten. more

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The mysteries and secrets of Osore-zan

Photo: Anne Thomas

Osore-zan has been a sacred site for thousands of years, and is permeated with a profound sense of peacefulness and of love. more

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How small, individual efforts help Japan rebuild

Photo by Carl Williams

The Japanese people hold fast to the belief that together they will get back on their feet and make tomorrow better. more

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How Alison Dique is helping babies sleep safely

Snugabub

Developed by an observant, “ordinary” person, Snugabub supports safer breathing and reduces the possibility of a child covering his or her face with a sheet or blanket. more

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Despite losses, Higashi Matsushima brims with gratitude

DSCF8769

Anne Thomas shares that, little by little, life in Higashi Matsushima is moving forward into a future of hope and stability. more

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