Grave of the Fireflies

If you are over at Orem Library, looking for an intense emotional movie to watch grab their copy of “Grave of the Fireflies”. Let’s face it, all stories about WWII are intense and emotional, but this one hit me harder then any other movie I’ve ever seen. Between myself, and my two daughters that stayed up watching this, we cleaned out half a box of Kleenex, and afterwards I stayed up for an hour, lying in my bed trying to figure out what it was about this movie that was so difficult. Finally I realized, it’s because you see war through the eyes of a child—that hit too close to home for me, and I struggled with the concept of my own children suffering through such an ordeal.

The movie is about two young children, the brother, 14 year old Seita, and the sister, 4 year old Setsuko. Living on Kobe, Japan during WWII Seita and Setsuko watch their city bombed and destroyed, as they struggle to find shelter. Thinking their mother is safe, Seita finds their mother after the bombing burned to death. He takes it upon himself to protect his little sister and keep her safe.

Together they struggle to find food and shelter, and face the horrors that Japan faced during that time and the nation wide failure felt once Japan surrendered.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I watched the movie, and although it was difficult to watch, I’m glad I did and I’m glad my kids watched it. It opened up several question that we were able to talk about, and they started to truly get a sense of what it was like living in war…to the point that when the bomb sirens would sound they would cling to me and cry, “Run. Run, get in the shelter”

It made me so grateful to live in our country, to have the freedom that we do, to live during such a peaceful time in our lives. I know it won’t last, and that someday we will face war and suffering. But for now I will hold my dear children close to me, and thank the Lord that they aren’t starving, or struggling to survive on their own, and fearing the next bomb raid that could destroy everything around them. We truly are blessed.