Recovery Mode

Hello there dear readers, it's been... a while. Please accept my apologies for this hiatus - life has been so hectic since my last post which was written just as Brisbane was going under.

Hard to believe it's been over 2 weeks since the disaster. Thankfully, the River did not peak above the predicted flood levels of 1974. Yet so many homes, schools and local businesses have been completely inundated and thousands were left without power or electricity for days. So many lives changed for the worse in that week.

We are now in recovery mode here in Queensland, with thousands of volunteers from all over the nation pitching in to help with the massive clean up job that will no doubt take several months and possibly even years. There are those who have dug deep to donate to the flood appeal, which is currently sitting at a whopping $181,685,852 (and still climbing). Not to mention the flood heroes who have worked tirelessly and put their own lives on the line to save others. Thanks much go to each and every one of these people for their massive efforts. And thanks must also go to you, my friends, for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Listening to stories from the 1974 floods, I never imagined I would live to experience and tell my own tale. To say that this disaster hasn't changed my life would be impossible and a complete understatement. It really hit so close to home this time and helped to put things into perspective. I've not only had to re-evaluate the important things in my life but also learnt to not stress over the small things. Worrying and stressing over work-related issues, daydreaming about the distant future and wasting time on material objects... none of these really matter in the big scheme. I need to start living in the now. Like the people in Toowoomba/Lockyer Valley, there could easily be no tomorrow. So these past few weeks, I switched off my computer and tried to spend more time with family and friends, taking each day as it comes. No longer mulling over decisions or getting upset if things don't turn out the way I want.

Life is too short for these expectations.