Our Country… Our Community
Our Country… Our Community
Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the rainbow gold,
For flood and fire and famine
She pays us back threefold.
My Country by Dorothea Mackellar
We are so fortunate to live in this beautiful part of the world, despite its harshness, as Dorothea Mackellar so beautifully expressed it in her famous poem. But the beauty is not just in the landscape. It’s even more so in the spirit of our community.
Over the past week, many in our community have endured great hardship as a result of the bushfires. The traumatic experience of having your loved ones, animals and property threatened is hard on everyone involved. The personal toll will take a long time to recover. One thing that helps so much is the support and love that comes from community – expressed in many different ways.
We have seen enormous acts of courage and giving throughout the week. Fire fighters, Emergency Services, Police working tirelessly and others freely giving their time to help friends and neighbours. Some citizens have opened thier homes to those affected by the fires. The media has kept us updated as changes come to hand. Donations of much needed items are streaming in. And of course there are as always many unsung heroes looking out for their neighbours, the elderly and the disadvantaged. A meal here. a kind word there.
It’s the spirit which is engrained in our community that helps us all get through these devastating events. The bonds formed even through unplanned and terrible circumstances live on and are woven through the fabric of our society.
Thank you to all those who have done so much to help as people struggle to rebuild their lives and their confidence. The thoughts of all of us at QER are with those affected.
Stay safe and have a good weekend.