Remembering

The horror or that day 20 years ago, the suffering felt by so many on the loss of these beautiful little five year olds and their brave teacher will never be forgotten.  We, our family could have been one of the bereaved but for the decision of my sister in law not to send my niece Rachel to school that day as she thought she had a temperature/cold and wanted her to stay off.  My brother thought Janet was being a bit over protective and told her it was nonsense, she is fine to go to school.  They both worked and Rachel not going to school meant that one of them would take her to Braco to the grandparents. 

The decision that morning, as they discussed it over breakfast, may or may not have saved Rachel's life because it was her classmates that were in the gym, and her close friends that died, including Melissa who lived in the house across the street. 

I watched the programme on Wednesday evening, and once again felt humbled by the strength of the bereaved and once more looked at the happy smiling faces of little innocent children, where 16 of them would be forever 5, and my heart weeps for them, even after the passing of 20 years.  I look at Ben who we has with us this afternoon, same age, five, full of fun, curiosity and innocence, loving life and being so loved by the family and it hurts me to think of these parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and grandparents who lost a much loved child.

These little ones will never be forgotten.

Seems like it's my four year anniversary today, 1460 blips done, should be 5 but I've limped along, sometimes too busy to sit down and post a picture, some days there ain't nothing much to say or not taken a picture.  That's fine.  It's more like a diary now, if something different or something I want to remember happens then Blip is here to record it..  I am grateful Blip was saved just for this purpose.  I wouldn't have started again somewhere else, and because I've invested all these years here, I'm so pleased that I can continue.  I was flicking back to times in the beginning when I had more interaction in the Community, and I remembered I did set aside quite a bit of time in the evenings to do that.   Nowadays, I seem to be too busy for the interaction, but goodness knows what else is in it's place!  I think more stuff with Mum and grandchildren because it's certainly not housework!! :-(

I think I need a new camera to give me a boost to using it again as more and more often it's been iphone shots.  I think I need a new challenge with a new camera.

Thanks to those who still read and comment on my ramblings - the old timers (not in age!!) who started around the same time as me.  People who are as familiar as those I work beside, but have never met (well some I have which is very nice ...)   It's good we are all still here....