In which Grace gets all sentimental and sappy...
In about eleven hours I'm going to be in a park, the biggest park in our city, standing with thousands of others and remembering all that's happened to us since February 22nd, and even back to September too.
It's a National Day of Mourning which sounds sad and really is, what's worse is it's our second in such a short time too, we only recently had one for the 29 Pike River miners and now it's our city's turn. We're a small country and we've been shaken so much (no pun intended) these past few months.
But hey, as we say over here (And, Barb tells me it's universal :P): "Shit happens."
And then, you get up and keep going. Even if it's years before you get back to some degree of normal. Someone said it's going to take decades to rebuild our city and I'm afraid they were right but I don't care how long it takes in the long run. We're going to do it.
Some people are saying it's too soon to hold and Memorial Service but I disagree. I think we need to remember but we can't dwell on the loss for too long. We will never forget those who lost their lives, their families and friends and we will never forget what we've come through. But we're not going to lie down and give up either.
We need to look forward. Our famous heritage buildings are gone? Our city's pride and joy? Sad, but no point crying about bricks and mortar. Heritage goes both ways. Our grandparents built us those buildings, now let's build something for our grandchildren. Let's build our own heritage to pass on, we shouldn't sacrifice safety for history, but it won't make it any less our city. Hell, it'll be more Our Christchurch than before.
Let's remember the past, but let's not let it stop us from looking to the future.
Kia Kaha, Christchurch.
It's a National Day of Mourning which sounds sad and really is, what's worse is it's our second in such a short time too, we only recently had one for the 29 Pike River miners and now it's our city's turn. We're a small country and we've been shaken so much (no pun intended) these past few months.
But hey, as we say over here (And, Barb tells me it's universal :P): "Shit happens."
And then, you get up and keep going. Even if it's years before you get back to some degree of normal. Someone said it's going to take decades to rebuild our city and I'm afraid they were right but I don't care how long it takes in the long run. We're going to do it.
Some people are saying it's too soon to hold and Memorial Service but I disagree. I think we need to remember but we can't dwell on the loss for too long. We will never forget those who lost their lives, their families and friends and we will never forget what we've come through. But we're not going to lie down and give up either.
We need to look forward. Our famous heritage buildings are gone? Our city's pride and joy? Sad, but no point crying about bricks and mortar. Heritage goes both ways. Our grandparents built us those buildings, now let's build something for our grandchildren. Let's build our own heritage to pass on, we shouldn't sacrifice safety for history, but it won't make it any less our city. Hell, it'll be more Our Christchurch than before.
Let's remember the past, but let's not let it stop us from looking to the future.
Kia Kaha, Christchurch.