Monday, February 16, 2009

Bravery.

"Bravery
noun
1. A quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear."

- The dictionary.com explanation of 'bravery'.


Not showing fear in a moment of danger or angst doesn't emulate bravery in my books.

I think the bravest people in the world are the people who tell their stories of mind numbing depression with tear-soaked cheeks.
The sons and daughters who fend for themselves while a broken home exists around them, blurry and incoherent.
The social outcast who barely scrapes through each day, struggling with the desperate desire to be accepted.

You can read the fear on all their faces. There is no facade.
And that, is true bravery.

Jayo.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Ghastly disaster.

I had always hoped that in my lifetime I would never have to live through a War.
I always prayed that I would never have to piece my life back together after a Cyclone, or bury my family after a Tsunami.
And although I have been lucky enough to never experience any of these mass disasters personally, they have all ruined thousands upon thousands of peoples' lives in my short seventeen years on this earth.
However recently, a horrible and partially natural disaster swept through the towns of rural Victoria and destroyed most of civilisation.
The support from people all over the globe has been incredible and heart warming.
There is a suspected death toll of 230 plus, with over 800 homes being lost.

I think I speak for most Victorians when I say that this is a tragedy that no one could comprehend. The feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. I roll into the fetal position when images of homeless and frightened citizens of our bush-land sit huddled together, lining the ashen roads.
A lot of the survival stories demonstrate wild courage and bravery although for each tale of brilliance, there is one of tragic gut wrenching loss.

My heart goes out to every single mother, father, sister, brother, grandparent and animal who lost a home, possession or life.
May every single lost soul Rest In Peace.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Twilight.

There is no doubt in my mind that Twilight was a box office hit.
Not having read the novels I was never in the group at school who swooned hopelessly over Edward Cullen. Vampire adventures aren't really my genre.
When my mother, a confessed Twilight addict, begged me to go see the movie with her (all expenses paid), I agreed.
As we pulled into the flooded car park I planned my popcorn to diet coke ratio. Having a soda deprived mouth in the cinema is unequivocally frowned upon.

Mid-twilight it hit me. This movie was a hit because almost everything about it was completely and utterly unattainable.
How many shamelessly brilliant looking vampires are out there, willing to risk life and limb to protect you, no matter how morbidly dull looking you may be?
I understand the thrill of the story is just that. Here is this beautiful creature and he is madly in love with the person he'd like to have for Thanksgiving dinner.
Also, the fifteen year old sugar hyped, cotton-on-wearing teens and the mid-life crisis divorcees love the idea of complete, devoted, whole hearted love.
I don't need to go to a cinema for that.

My heart goes out to all of the people who battled and who continue to battle the bush fires here in Melbourne. I think that somehow, it has affected everybody living in AUS.
I only hope that there are no more lives stolen.

XX JAYO