But Is It Safe?

It was a small news story this morning in the sea of political and social chaos, but it knocked the wind out of me. A massive fire at the Kyoto animation studio killed dozens and injured many more.

The Kyoto studios produced the Violet Evergarden series for Netflix. Liz and I watched it together (in the original Japanese) and were mesmerized by the storytelling and quality in the animation. The studio has also taken groundbreaking steps in the industry by paying their animators a salary instead per frame.

Over the past year, a lot of our family's focus and attention has been on taking steps for Liz to study at a university in the UK. She has committed to a three year program and animation is her career choice. We are familiar with the production cycle and can imagine what life was like inside the Kyoto studios. The violence and senseless loss of life and talent is incomprehensible.

Faith never prevents hardship, pain or loss.

Photo Credit: SakugaBlog

When people hear that Liz is studying overseas, they often ask how we could let her do that. But how could we not? Animation is not typically a dangerous job, unlike her brother who is an electrician. And yet this news story exposes the reality that no career is 100% safe.

Every parent must grapple with the reality that they cannot shield their children from every danger. If anything, the news drove me back to my faith. I believe in her talents and abilities. I have faith that her eternal destiny is secure and that our hope is in Christ's work on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Faith never prevents hardship, pain or loss. But it is our trust in God's faithfulness that will carry us through (Habakkuk 3:16-18).

And so my heart aches for the animators and families devastated by this tragic and horrific fire. It makes me realize that my daughter's career choice is not guaranteed safe. But I can send her off with confidence and the knowledge that no matter what she encounters in life, we have hope of an eternity in the presence of God.