My husband's friend who he did a course with a few years ago and whom he keeps in regular contact with lives in Whittlesea. She and her husband are just fine and their house was spared from the fire. Her sister's house was not spared.
She runs the Community centre there and has had umpteen mobile phone messages and about 40 emails a day asking her if she is ok. So, she emailed husband as well as quite a few other friends and family to let them know she is fine but she is busy as she "runs the bloody place!" LOL .. ever the joker.
In the email she tries to put into words the devastation and despair witnessed. Categorising people who come in into different groups yet saying they are all affected, all in the same boat. And, that crying at any point in the day is a given concession..and so it ought to be.
Now everyone is being supported, it is shown through the generosity of the public, of the World in fact. At school today the kids' fundraised by wearing casual dress. Husband's work matched, to the dollar, each employee's contribution..which was a day worth of pay. The Union also too up collection of cash to go straight to affected families of work colleagues, some died, others are missing.
One wonderful thing comes in this time of need and that is the banding together of the community, how it ought to be.
As I rode my bike today, I looked around me, we are just so lucky to have everything. I did smell the smoke as it has wafted with the wind across the city and to the Western suburbs. It really brings everything into perspective.
Valentine's Day tomorrow..but I think everyone should appreciate every day they have together..hugg your friends and family...don't take things for granted.
8 comments:
Here! Here! Today I thought I could cry no more, I stopped watching the TV a couple of days ago! Enough stress already, we have had to deal with so much this week, apart from this awful tragedy we have had our friend with his life in danger, (he is not as good as my blog makes out!) another take his life and my heart breaking for all those down your way as well as the Qld floods! Tonight I thought, okay, turn on the telly again! The first thing I saw was a father singing to raise money, he had lost two kids in the fire! Awwww The tears started once again, my daughter caught me at it and joined me, our little boy stood there and could not fathom what the hell was going on! So many normal things are stressing us right now but it all seems so insignificant compared to what is happening down your way! I want to hug and hold everyone and make their pain go away! But as with our friend "mark" he is scared of touch, of human emotion! What can we do Caz? I always have the urge to "heal" Im sure as a nurse you understand! How do we heal their emotional pain? I feel so useless right now!
I have been at a bloggy loss today and find myself wanting to say so much to you! Shhhhh! One healer to another! I have had it this week! Please god send our rain down to Vic, we are pretty washed out now! Make it stop and lets start the healing process! Please! And PS some sunshine for the QLD folk who in their own pain offer their benefits to the fire victims! What is it with us aussies? Someone is always worse off than us! Oh How proud I am to be one right now!
Many many happy healing thoughts coming from here tonight! Mwah! xxxx
It seems that great tragedy always brings out the very best in the rest of us. My thoughts and prayers have been for all of you have suffered in so many ways.
20 or so years ago we had a string of tornadoes tear through my hometown leaving devastation in their path everywhere. The community, predictably, responded with a torrent of money, necessities and volunteerism. I was no different, I went to the warehouse the Salvation Army had borrowed to unload the trucks that were coming in from all over the city. I was pretty astonished ant the mountain of food, clothing, Christmas gifts (this happened on Thanksgiving weekend in the US so the Christmas crush had already begun), stuff of all sorts. And I asked one of the SA staffers if this was an unusual response. He said it was pretty typical for a disaster, that the hard part was keeping that going when there wasn't a disaster to rally around.
I'm glad to know the immediate danger's been contained finally, but for those affected the disaster is really only beginning.
Best thoughts to all of you down there.
Karisma, I know what you are saying. People who do not want to be hugged yet will let us know when they are ready, they will come to someone..and actually, on the radio, a presenter said they walked the street and looked at someone looking so sad, and he said "Wanna hug"..and he hugged that stranger for the longest time. You see..it will happen.
Mom, yes it sure does bring out the good, I wish it would stay.
Mojo, that story is just amazing, you know, I even thought about the Katrina affected residents the other day. What became of those areas? Did the donated moneys we sentover help in any way?
True, like with any tragedy, healing does not begin until the community leaves the affected people alone... lets hope the community affected stays together, heals together and moves frward together.
I believe they are building new community centres, shared vegetable gardens and of course, schools for the children too..not to mention play grounds.
Thanks for your insight into what you know about tragedy such as this. I appreciate you calling by.
Thank you for posting a personal side to this tragedy.
Mal, it is all I could do, apart from our donation of monetry..monies, yeah!
You are so right, Cazzie. We need to treasure each day and try to help wherever it's needed.
Sending long-distance hugs to you.
Thats how I feel...as i walk about doing stuff...I feel grateful for what I have...so grateful - I hope to stay that way
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