it's probably been the longest break between postings for me, but lately i haven't felt much like broadcasting my self-obssessed smart-arseyness out to a world which currently has so many other things to take care of. when i'm doing other stuff, it's all good, but the minute i sit down alone and quiet, all i can think about are all the people whose lives have been changed forever by the tsunamis. i read somewhere that the quake was so big that it had actually shifted the earth on its axis, causing a slight change in timezones and pretty much changing the face of the planet forever; i heard a news snippet that said that so many children had been lost that it would probably take a generation for the affected populations to recover.
i feel a little guilty because initially, i didn't even know the tsunamis had happened. the lot of us - both my brothers, sister in law and nephews, mark and i - spent from christmas day till the 28th at my parents' place; with so many distractions under one roof, we didn't turn the telly on the whole time, until the evening of the 27th. i am going to donate to the appeals, and am happy when i hear news reports marvelling at the level of support being donated by the australian public. the closest i can come to understanding this whole thing is this experience: once when we were at the beach, the waves were really quite big and rough. i was trying to get out to where the rest of my group was, because it was calmer there where the waves were forming. i panicked a little as one big wave came toward me and i jumped instead of ducking. it picked me up and dumped me. i was being thrown around like crazy, my arms and legs were flailing around and i couldn't tell which way was up. then i heard a distinct 'pop' sound, which soon later i found was the sound of my left shoulder dislocating. since the tsunamis i've just kept thinking about that incident over and over, remembering what the water sounded like, and how helpless i felt. but as freaked out as i was, i didn't panic too much because i knew my feet would touch the ground eventually, that i'd find myself on the beach. i hope all the souls taken by the water are at peace and in a better place. it's a sad, sad way to farewell 2004.
i wish you all a positive new year. i hope that the challenges you face are surmountable, and that your experiences are enriching and rewarding. learn from your losses, celebrate your victories, and share your rewards. freely.