The Sky and Heaven Above by Tom Stodulka
Too early for the evening star,
Looking up into the blue heaven above and afar.
‘Tis only late afternoon, well before seeing the moon.
All around us, it’s turned from the burnt yellow of
four months of drought,
To rich and lush green
For so many weeks just not seen.
Fresh Spring growth;
A carnival and array of Frangipani and Jacaranda,
Eucalypts of many soft and dark hues and shades of green.
Silky Oak and its golden flowers.
Many a bird’s delight nesting high above
Often on outstretched fragile branch,
Avoiding hungry predators, felines and bigger birds no less.
The wattle has come and gone.
Spring is often too short. As “Nature’s first green is gold” to quote Poe.
The Aussie summer prevails upon us
As we face the possibility of cyclones and unpredictable weather.
Though Nature is always certain in its own uncertainty.
Will there be fires or floods, heat and humidity?
As we await a new Season and enjoy its own rhyme and reason.
(From 'Storm Clouds & Silver Linings; My Journey' by Tom Stodulka)
As I pen my next blog, winter has prevailed upon us and even here in sunny Queensland we are getting some quite cool weather. Friends in Darwin and Cairns tell me they are experiencing some cold nights. Even pets out on their morning walks in Darwin are wearing their warm coats-sounds like a first. Well, as we know, Nature and the weather, like time and tide waits for no one. No matter how much we are in control of our lives and circumstances, we are and will always be, at the mercy of our surroundings, which provide us with important reminders of our own vulnerabilities.
There are greater forces at work and challenges to keep us on our toes. Crises have so often provided us all with the opportunity to work together in a spirit of harmony and collaboration for the common good. Australia certainly provides us with many of these opportunities. Rarely has there been a time when the community has not stepped up to the plate and embraced the challenge with compassion, understanding and respect. While the politicians are increasingly at loggerheads and showing their inability too often, to retain the community’s confidence, the public has no choice but to get on with their day to day lives.
We can all take heart in the never ending spirit of a proud Nation achieving greatness, despite the odds and the challenges meted out to us, be it through the complexities of life or another flood, cyclone or fire.
Tom
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