News headlines in Australia since the latter part of 2019, predominately focussed on the ongoing tragedy gripping our nation, seldom witnessed by many of us, in the duration of our lifetimes.
Of course, this news coverage was about the bushfires that affected large parts of our Country, where so many people, in fact whole communities, livelihoods, livestock, crops and produce, land mass, soil, vegetation, wildlife, infrastructure.
In fact, our very equilibrium, was rocked to the core leaving devastation, loss, grief and trauma in its wake for years to come.
At the time, the words in our own National song seemed a bit of a stretch, almost inappropriate, as the ash descended like a snow storm, leaving many of us wondering what could possibly lead us out of the mire back into the belief that we lived in a “land of plenty.”
Beyond our shores came the generosity and outpouring from a global community – individuals and organisations – reaching out with money, resources, support, in any way they were able. And from this, what emerged were new seeds and sprigs of hopefulness, along with the sense of belonging to a Country that still had its heartbeat, even though it hurt.
Then, without a blink, the global COVID -19 pandemic crept over our nation’s doorstep, placing the needs of many, their raw grief, their path to healing, the insurmountable clean up just underway, on pause, as a different type of threat, took precedence.
The generosity of community has emerged again – globally, working together to help each other, beyond race, creed, culture, wealth, politics.
Community is like a huge comb, flattening out the curve and replacing it with acts of kindness, going beyond in order to make a difference, learning to take care of each other as well as our neighbourhoods, our countries, our planet.
This sense of a communal pool is far greater than a Government working alone, a world health organisation, a Politician, or a famous figurehead. Instead it’s about a collective of people from all walks of life and circumstances pooling their best, caring and striving to reach out and make a difference, devoid of glory.
COVID-19 will pass and when it does there will be a need for recovery, a need to be able to trust, to prevent this Pandemic occurring again, whether in this form or another, during our life time or that of our children or our grandchildren.
People in the pre-existing fire ravaged areas of our own Country will still need our help too. Many of them were already dealing with isolation, loss of homes, property, identity, financial security. To a large extent, a lot of the care and resources has needed to be “shelved” to deal with the Pandemic.
That’s what we as community do best… Locally, nationally, globally, over the fence, around the corner, down the lane, and up the hill.
We work as one to get to the other side.
Communities are made up of individuals. And as individuals we all have issues in our everyday lives.
Issues that pertain to relationships, anxiety, worry, fears, phobias, depression, social, financial, employment, general health, welfare, justice, maturing years, disability, discrimination, mental health concerns, substance and alcohol dependency, child, adolescent, adult abuse/violence, self-esteem, self-confidence, anger, grief and loss, trauma, food disorders, learning challenges, aloneness or loneliness and more.
This is why when each and every person’s experience is collated within the huge landscape of life, living, and caring, we have a depth of understanding of what it is like to suffer and what we need to set in place to make a better world.
Community at its best.
Pam
Featured image by:
Perry Grone