Tranquility among the chaos

Whatever happens on Tuesday, our friends and families and communities will depend on us to keep going, to keep doing our best, no matter who wins and by how much.

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November 7, 2022 - 3:25 PM

With Election Day bearing down, a reflective moment helps keep things in perspective. Riccardo Chiarrini/Unsplash

Next to the Watkins Museum of History in downtown Lawrence sits a tiny park, a mere 90 by 92 feet. If you don’t keep your eyes open when strolling along the Massachusetts Street sidewalk, you could easily miss it.

Walk up the concrete path and behind the cast iron fence, however, and you’ll find an oasis of calm.

The Japanese Friendship Garden marks the relationship between Lawrence and sister city Hiratsuka, Japan. Tucked into the modest space are a path, trees, bench, lantern, stone tower, rock garden, and detail after detail. According to the city, it was dedicated 20 years ago, yet it remains a timeless and transporting place.

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