Today is my birthday. A day usually filled with so much celebration and yet today I feel anything but. Today I turn 37. And today two people, who I will never have the privilege of knowing lost their lives in tragic circumstances.
As I turn 37, a mother of just 38 years, who is a lawyer just like me, lost her life through no fault of her own, simply going about her daily routine. I cannot help but think of the family of these two young people, the children, parents, partners, siblings and friends and how the 16th of December will always hold tragedy for them and nothing of a celebration.
Every day we hear ‘bad’ news, tragic events about people experiencing pain, loss and suffering. It is perhaps often easy to ignore this news, as to do anything else becomes overwhelming. But for so many of us, the events of yesterday and today have caused us all to feel overwhelming grief for people we do not know, but can relate to in every way.
I appreciate the comments of our leaders that we need to ‘stand together’ to ‘move forward’ and to act just like before but that is not sitting well for me today. I feel today we need to stop. We need to take a minute and grieve for what has happened.
I am not sure how to manage my heavy heart today. Writing these words provides some relief but I feel like so much more is needed. Today I am sitting at my desk, going about my business with a very heavy weight in my heart. I don’t know Tori Johnson or Katrina Dawson but your memories are with so many of us and our thoughts are with your families and loved ones on a day that cannot be celebrated.
So rather than celebrating today I am remembering. I am remembering all that I have to be grateful for- my family, my loved ones, my country and the society I was lucky enough to be born into. I am grateful that today the sun is shining and that for a few moments this morning I could enjoy time with my daughter, my husband and my parents.
I am grateful for the people in my life as I expect every person touched by the events of yesterday and today wishes only for a few more minutes with the people that they love.
Tomorrow I am happy to ‘move forward’ and ‘stand together’ but today I would prefer to remember those who have lost so much and be grateful for all that I still have.
