Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Today I am thankful - humanity, sunshine and satisfaction.

- for humanity: over the past few days, I have watched online the program which had Australia talking last week - the SBS Go Back to Where You Came From - and it has had a deep impact on me. Working an area which is one of the highest settlement areas for migrants and refugees in the country, each day I see people from all the countries featured and more. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of women who come to our Centre and seeing this program just reinforced my support of those seeking refuge. I don't condone unscrupulous people smugglers, but only from a safety perspective - I fully understand the desperation of those on the boats. And I don't judge anyone for getting here anyway they can - you see, I am the grandchild of an illegal immigrant myself! Almost 100 years ago, my Granddad came to Australia with the British Merchant navy and jumped ship in Adelaide. In the 1970s,  he was given a pardon by Al Grasby and thanked for his contribution with the Australian Army in both world wars. So, if you want, you can tell ME to go back where I came from, but given my maternal line dates back to convicts in the early 1800s, you might have to split me in two!

- for sunshine: as I drove home from work, the radio was full of wonder at the fog which had enveloped the City in the afternoon. hadn't reached  my freeway, it was blue sky and sunshine all the way.

- for satisfaction: to help a legally blind mum who returned to work full-time yesterday and is breastfeeding her 6wo baby but was bamboozled by her breast pump - turned out she was using extra parts needed to connect the manual unit to the optional electric pump, which she didn't have, and was trying to express with that all connected! Aha - light-bulb moment!

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