nothing but ashes

[aurillia]

I had several people asking me recently whether my family was okay, and I have to admit I didn't at first know what they were talking about. Seems I really need to keep abreast of the news better, because when my mother-in-law mentioned bushfires back home I didn't think much of it (we get bushfires all the time), but apparently this was a Big One

Comments

[madhowan]

Big One is right--there has been almost nothing else on the news all week, and it's pretty much impossible to get through it without crying. It's just heartbreaking: so many people have lost everything, and family, and pets, and then there's the wildlife gone, too. They had a parliament session the other day, with the pollies paying respects to victims, and nearly all of them were almost in tears. Kevin Rudd was on television and nearly broke down, which is depressing all in itself. I dunno, I think it's because he's the leader: he's meant to be able to speak for everyone, and he couldn't say anything

[aurillia]

*Big hug* - even though you weren't directed affected, I think you need it :) Hell, I think everyone does. It's tragic and yet the way people pull through and help each other is wonderful. There was one photo of three people, one man hunched down on the footpath with his head in his arms, and the caption said his dad had just told him his mum had been lost in the fire - it was such a raw image, you could see the absolute grief in the body language, I wanted to burst into tears but I'm in the computer lab at uni so it's not a good idea and I had to quickly move on. Usually though, it's images of animals suffering that affect me the most.

[madhowan]

*hugs back* Thanks! It's true, it's just so shit at the moment. Fires down south and flooding up north, and people have just started to get things in order from the storms in Brisbane. Not to mention how broke everyone is!

Oh yes, me too. I linked to an article on my journal, written by one of The Australian newspaper's journalists; his house caught on fire, and he lost everything, though thankfully not his wife and daughter, and one of their dogs. It's an amazing story to read, though when he mentioned the pets that died, I just burst into tears again.

Actually, and that koala picture you posted above nearly got me. It seems so strange that a koala would let anyone near enough, and be that affected that it needed to drink from a water bottle.

They have had a few nice stories on the news: the reunion ones, with people who thought they'd lost loved ones. It's nice to see, though you wish they could have a little bit of privacy at such a moment.

[aurillia]

That's what I thought too, I was just saying to _ocelott_ that it's a bad sign when they're actively seeking us out for aid.

It does seem invasive at times, I agree; I don't think I'd like a camera photographing my moment of absolute grief - or relief. Yet at the same time, it probably connects people in some way, and without those images maybe people wouldn't be so generous with their aid?

[_ocelott_]

SO glad to hear your family's ok. I still can't believe someone (or a bunch of someones) started those fires on purpose. Seriously, what is wrong with people?!?

By the way, that picture with the koala is unbelievably adorable.

[aurillia]

Arsonists have to be mentally unstable to take pleasure in starting fires - especially in a country like Australia, where the whole place is just waiting to explode. All those people, dead, homeless; animals too... The destruction of crops and schools ... Life in prison is too generous for these sickos.

I thought so too, I just had to include it! It's a sign of how bad things are though, that they're seeking help from humans.

[shandybandy]

i've been watching this on the news and its just so horrible :'(
I feel so bad for all the people who have lost loved ones and their homes

I'm glad your family's safe though!

[aurillia]

I haven't watched the news once since I moved here; I'm not sure how much of it they've covered but I guess if my mother-in-law knew about it then it must have been on. I should make more of an effort to watch the news. I wish I could get the ABC news here or something! I almost never hear about what's happening back home.

[shandybandy]

I mostly get my news from the internet anyway

[aurillia]

What do you use? I don't know of any good sites, and I have such trouble navigating them to find what I want.

[gothayesd51708]

That is a horrible situation that is going on over there. I am thinking and praying for the people who have been affected.

[aurillia]

It is horrible. It happens probably every ten years or something, but I don't know if so many people have died before as this time. As madhowan was saying above, there's been a lot of aid from people from around the country, money and other help, which is great.

[shardofnarsil]

I don't know what it is with me, but I just lost it when I saw the photo of the koala. For some reason, the animal losses are the ones that hit me emotionally. It's all so tragic, though. Glad your family is safe.

[aurillia]

I'm the same - the animals affect me the most, always, perhaps because they seem more vulnerable, or because they get caught up in human-made disasters (not always human-made), or because they get so overlooked.