A significant day

This is Lizzie. She is my second cousin (really my first cousin once removed, but 2nd cousin sounds so dry and technical, whereas second cousin has some warmth).

Lizzie turned 18 today. She has just started her studies in engineering and completed her first week living in a university halls of residence.

I enjoyed coffee, Lizzie hot chocolate and we shared a chocolate and raspberry brownie. Nice :-) Just a little pleasure in life, a little slice of normal.

The other part of today's significance was remembering 12.51pm 2011 when the 6.3 shallow earthquake struck killing 185 people. Celebration and reflection.

Instead of the memorial at work, a few of us went down to Riccarton Bush and along with many others observed 2 minutes silence and then threw flowers into the Avon River. A lovely gentle remembering. I shed a tear for those who have lost so much, for my friend who died and the loved ones he left behind, those who struggle with housing and life now, the many who have to find the energy each day to face their insurance battles and those whose homes let the weather in.

I'm also grateful I live in city that is pretty much functioning. Our water is clean and few, if any, can't flush their loos. Things are happening, something new is unfolding albeit slowly. We have plenty of broken but signs of progress too.

I've discovered a resilience I didn't know I had, endurance and stamina, relationship, closer ties with neighbours and my community, an appreciation of the landscape I live in and near to, deeper appreciation of my family, a greater appreciation of the mundane and normal, and I'm more thankful than I used to be. I don't take life for granted anymore.

Between home and the supermarket all the road cones have flowers in them. It is a lovely gesture. I was going to blip a floral road cone tribute but went instead with a birthday portrait of Lizzie.

She is the face of the future. One day I'm sure her engineering expertise will in some way contribute to the rebuild of my city wherever she is. A face of hope and expectation, a young person drawn to study in Christchurch and excited by the possibilities of studying engineering with so much going on. It must be like being presented with an enormous sandpit.

A day to remember and reflect. A day to celebrate - Happy birthday Lizzie.

Kia kaha Christchurch.

(I shall reappear at the end of the weekend, after I've given the trout in the high country lakes a fright ;-)

Comments
Sign in or get an account to comment.