One week on..........

It has been a week since the bushfires ravaged our beautiful state. Words cannot express the initial shock and disbelief, or the total devestation when the truth began to sink in.

So many lives have been lost, and countless thousands of people have been physically or emotionally scarred.

No one can imagine what these people went through during the fires, or how they will cope in the long term. My thoughts and prayers are with them, as well as the thousands of people who have had to witness horrors as they assist in caring for the victims, fighting the fires that still threaten homes and people, investigating the fires, identifying victims and attempting to find ways of ensuring such a tragedy NEVER happens again.

This account may give people some understanding of what so many have faced:

http://www.theaustralian.news. com.au/story/ 0,25197,25026912 -2702,00. html


Sunset last night was eerie - the smoke from the fires has reached us on the outskirts of Melbourne, and the sun was blood red. This morning, it looks like this:



I have always been proud to be Australian, but a tragedy like this demonstrates how united, caring and supportive we can be as a nation. In a time like this, the colour of a person's skin, their religion or political views are irrelevant - all that is important is that we make sure everyone else is okay, and if they aren't, we work tirelessly to do what we can.

I think that this 'Valentines Day' everyone should spend a few minutes assessing who they really care about. Possessions can be replaced, people can't.

Look after your loved ones, let them know how important they are - don't assume they know.

Live each day as if it was your last day on Earth.

Be kind to others - you don't know what is going on in their lives unless you live it.

Take care of yourselves...