I looked out the window yesterday morning and the skies were clear and the day looked promising.
I looked out the window later in the morning and the area defined by Melbourne and its’ suburbs is covered in smoke haze.
The smoke haze brings back so many memories of Black Saturday, I keep looking for the plume of smoke but there is none.
How are those that lost family and homes managing?
Do you know anyone in that situation? – Talk to them – get them to talk.
If someone you know hasn’t really talked to you about the fires, sometimes it helps if you brooch the subject.
There has been great success for the men, take a 6 pack of beer and go for a visit – it makes all the difference.
For women – they just need to talk – about what has been lost and the steps they are taking to re-build and re-establish themselves.
We are almost at the 12 month mark and yet it feels like yesterday for me – and I’m sure for many others it is the same.
I can feel it – this year will be bad – I think the firebugs are using their sinister tools of destruction to get some evil pleasure from destroying people’s lives.
I hope when (I say when because they WILL BE caught) they are punished to the utmost of the law, regardless of upbringing etc. If an example is not set – then people in Australia will forever suffer the fear of WHEN not IF.
Take care.
2 comments:
Hi.
I don't know you, I found your blog because of a comment you left on Chirs' blog. I was an exchange student in Melbourne in 92/93..
Last year I was sitting in front of my computer, listening to ABC Melbourne via the internet and hoping everyone I knew was safe. Terrible stories unfolded, people running from the fires, practically live on the air... Women telling us about losing their parents, about getting into a dam with their kids about being rescued by neighbours at the last minute... I'm shaking as I write.
Thank you for blogging about it. I wish there was more I could do from here, but germany is a world away...
Hi Nicole, thanks Nicole - You don't have to know me to comment. That's not a pre-requisite of being 'allowed' to comment!
It was a hurrendous time - a time that won't be forgotten by those in the middle of it. and even for those on the outskirts - it will take a long time for the memories to fade to something that is not a nightmare
It was a horrible time - but no worse than many majors disasters happening all over the world. The only difference is that this disaster was man-made - ether by powerlines or arsonists.
Australians as a whole are strong - we just had the stuffing knocked out of us for a bit!
Thanks for the comments (oh and a dam in the middle of a fire storm is actually not a bad option) My kids have been told that is what to do if we are not home, take the woollen blanket and wait for someone to come and get you.
Post a Comment