I've been witness to some devastating tragedy in the past 7 days. Our tiny community has been altered exponentially and forever.
What the press is calling an "inland tsunami" has affected the lives of thousands of people. People that I know. People that I don't.
Houses have been decimated, people are homeless, property has been obliterated, businesses financially ruined, landscape changed beyond belief and lives tragically lost.
We live on a hill for goodness sake! How does something like this even happen? A perfect storm. How do you ever prepare yourself?
At my work alone, we have had over 250 properties affected by storm damage and water inundation, with more properties noted every day. Tenants of ours have tragically lost their lives and others have lost family members. Some are still missing. I personally worked 18 hour days (along with a team of my colleagues) last week in an effort to assist those poor people whose lives were turned upside down.
And still the phone calls and emails keep coming every day. Our Storm Register grows and grows and I've never felt so overwhelmed and helpless in all of my life.
Every day, my eyes are drawn to the TV in the boardroom, glued to the constant images of peoples lives and homes forever changed by the flooding. The scenes of devastation and horrific loss are unending.
I haven't really cried, although I've come pretty close and mainly out of sheer exhaustion and frustration. And I'm quite sure that when I sit down and think about it all, I will likely be close to catatonic. I have noone to download to and so anyone who is within ear shot, unfortunately cops it. And it just pours out of me. My pity. My horror. My feelings of helplessness. I wish wholeheartedly that I could come home and tell someone about it all so I stop annoying everyone else but I don't have someone so I can't.
We don't have enough tradesman, people are upset and scared, tensions are running high. How do you comfort someone who has lost everything? How do you reassure them that everything will be OK? You can't and it is traumatic.
I've tried each day to find something to feel grateful for and it has been extremely difficult, believe me. I've also had barely enough time to sleep, let alone think about trying to sit down at the computer and be grateful. Selfish isn't it?
That said, there have been some good times this week.
I am overjoyed to hear of the stories of triumph and survival. The AUSTRALIAN spirit. These are the worst days of our lives, and yet people rally together to help clean, donate and support. Thousands of Queenslanders are assisting the families whose homes have been lost to a natural disaster. Grateful.
I am constantly amazed by the endless work of the emergency crews, road crews, Australian Defence Force, Police, volunteers & SES, not to mention the human armies of people who have worked around the clock to help the people most badly affected. Grateful.
People have donated millions of dollars to help our battered State and its shell-shocked residents recover. Grateful.
Some celebrities are donating all profits from their songs. Grateful.
Everyday Australians are donating clothes and food and goods to people who have absolutely nothing left. Strangers helping strangers. Grateful.
My own home was drenched that day. Water leaked through the roof and windows in my front sunroom, and also through the walls and windows and ceiling of my back sunroom. My carpets have been wrecked and I was without power for over 24 hours. But my home is still standing. A little bit on the smelly side of life but comparitively, I'm absolutely fine. Grateful.
One of my closest girlfriends lost everything and was without the support of her own Real Estate and Landlord, so she came to me. I was able to assist and point her at least in the right direction and she too has experienced the astounding generosity of strangers. Grateful.
And you know what? That's what it's all about.
The highlight of the week was of course my girlfriends wedding on Saturday. I was a bridesmaid and it was touch and go as to whether we would even make it out but we did and it was an amazing day. We had a ball. She looked so beautiful and I was excited to see one of my oldest friends marry the love of her life. It really was a terrific day and I'm just so thrilled to have been included on her most special day. Grateful.
And so 7 days on, I really am grateful for special times, triumph over tragedy, the generosity of the human spirit and I am so proud to be a Queenslander and an Australian.
Grateful.
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