In the wake of Tropical Cyclone Yasi that decimated the east australian coastline between Cairns and McKay, I find myself sitting blissfully amidst my family and friends and reminding myself of how lucky I am.
Life is extraordinary and these past few days have been a perfect example of how everyday we can be ordinary people living extraordinary lives.
Remember JB's 5 tips for extraordinary living ...
1. Experiencing daily joy
2. Feeling comfort and contentment
3. Expressing hopefulness and optimism
4. Repeating professional and personal success
5. Manifesting energy and vitality'
TC Yasi gave us all of these.
1. Everyone has experienced the joy of survival. Doom threatened and yet we have survived. A net gain in life from a natural disaster, due to the delivery of three babies during the cyclone, is an amazing outcome and has been the cause of much joy in a time that could be filled with despair. Extra-ordinary!
2. The comfort and contentment of friends and family in the most difficult of times is truly joyful. Everyone becomes a friend and neighbour at these times, and the human spirit is at its best as we all turn to each other to help and support wherever it is possible. Extra-ordinary!
3. With their houses, and farms lying destroyed, and with torrential rains pouring around them the people of Tully, Mission Beach, Innisfail, Cardwell and along the far northern coast of Queensland have again shown their hopefulness and optimism by simply moving forward and cleaning up. Optimistic that the sun will shine and hopeful that after the clean up things won't look quite so bad, the fighting spirit of the far north is truly ordinary people at their extraordinary best. Extra-ordinary!
4. The repeat of professional and personal success is seen in every minute of these days as we see the reduction in personal injury and loss of life due to better preparedness, and the speed with which infrastructure and services are being restored, having learnt from the past. Extra-ordinary!
5. The people of the far north are nothing if not energetic and vital. There is no other way to deal with a situation like this. Lethargy and despair achieve nothing, and as I look down my street tonight I see the neatly packed piles of green waste ready for collection, lights on in every house and as I speak to my friends and neighbours many are talking of their task tomorrow to travel south and assist where they can be useful. Energy and vitality abounds. Extra-ordinary!
So, despite the carnage of TC Yasi, I feel gratitude and a desire to contribute where I can. Natural disasters such as these are unpredictable and completely beyond our control. A reminder that we cannot change what happens to us but we can certainly consider how we react and let it mean something positive in our lives.
Farewell Yasi - despite your best efforts my glass is still half full - extra-ordinary!!
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