wheels coming off for abbott, page-51

Thanks fo the many who have offered me (virtual) thumbs up, and for the much appreciated supportive comments.

I wasn't "just" fighting for myself over the thumbs issue, but for a principle. A principle which gave all forums equal footing re. thumbs (recognition by peers of (perhaps) having something of worth to say.)

As for anger. It is not so much anger but an impatience with
the superflous and the meaningless of many aspects of daily living which I now see as of no importance. The beer is warm and the soup is cold. So ...........?

My outlook on life changed dramatically after the events of
February 7th, 2009, when I almost lost a third of my family to bushfires. Helpless kids were involved. To receive a (calm) call that their house was burning, they had to get out, and asking could I please call 000 for help as there were no CFA trucks in town (at that stage they and we had no idea others in that town were burning and dying under the most horrific conflagratrion), houses were being lost and animals suffering and screaming. We heard/knew nothing for the next four hours, as the rest of the family gathered with us, petirified. My son had to be held back from trying to rush to try and save his sister.

The police I rang knew nothing of the extent of the fires - or that these towns were blazing. I could not get there as I would have been killed in the attempt.

Had there not been a sudden wind change, these fires could have raced through the northern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne right to the Bay, resulting in the deaths of thousands. (These fires were travelling at 180kmh on CFA estimate).

The grief, the never ending heart-breaking funerals, some of teenagers and children and little babies, the wrecked lives - no-one can begin to imhgine the human suffering, and the trauma of thousand stil living in the area who went through this hell. And who are still weighed down with stupid bureacracies and inept politicians. The courage, and the mental brav ery, of these victims has to be seen and experienced to be believed. Here (and in the flood/cycone areas, I am sure,) are truly heroes.

There are mental breakdowns. Marriage breakdowns. The hidden toll of such eventss notimmediately evident. But the ongoing suffering is deep.

The horror of the teenager who made the dam in time, aided by her parents, only to have to look back to watch them burning to death. She was horriby burnt.

The other tgeenagers who died trying to save their horses. These tragedies, of which there were hundreds, surely brings one back to reality quick smart.
As did the many flood tragedies.
And teaches us what is really important.

One man who lost his home to the fires just died of a brain tumor, aged 52. Another single Mum who lost her home also lost her son soon afterwards in a road crash. There have been many suicides, not talked about in the press. There are STILL people living in shipping containers in Kinglake.

But brave victims, whose own lives are on hold, are doing amazing things to help others.

So, yes, when I hear mediocre politicians, braying nastiness and sarcasm, and when I see them doing destructive things, against Australia's best interests, in their chase for self-power and self- glory at any price, arguing over petty othings and trivialities, instead of getting on and actually "ruling" for our benefit, I do get very angry at times.

Perhaps such anger is justified and necessary in life's journey. Or should we all sit in front of the TV, eat popcorn, and shrug and not care as life drifts by?

But above all, I am thankful for the miracle which saved our family, and for helping them to somehow find the hidden strengths they have had to draw on in their struggle to re-build their lives, at the same time very unselfishly trying to help others do the same.

Politicians come and go in their chauffered Commonwealth cars. Do they really have any idea?

A handful do.