Simmer Down

The Skatalites did not disappoint last friday night. They were DYN-O-MITE!. Such a joyous band. The world needs more joy. It needs to simmer down.

How it comes to be that someone stabs a child, let alone children -plural-, to death is beyond my mental and emotional reckoning. Poor children, how terrified they must have been. How painfully must their family and be grieving.

Christmas is a time of joy, family, friends, stress, and remembrance. We remember those loved ones who are no longer with us. The empty spaces at the Christmas dinner table.

When my mum had cancer. The doctor told us that it was terminal but could pinpoint a time frame other than it could be months or years. I remember once when I was visiting her in hospital. She told me that she would prefer that one particular lady did not visit her.

"She's such a misery guts, you'd think I was already dead and that she was at my funeral the way she carries on -she makes feel worse".

So, whenever I visited my mum and when she came home. I did my best to act 'normal' -not too sad and not overly and falsely happy. I cried in private. Life went on.

One day my zia (aunt) Bruna, my mum's twin sister (may she rest in peace) noticed my sadness and took me aside and told me that despite everything that I should go out and have some fun and enjoy myself. And I did. I went to pubs with friends to see bands.I went to clubs. I went to I went to restaurants for celebrations. But always. Always. At some point I would be reminded that I was enjoying myself while my mum was at home, dying. And I would feel guilty.

A couple of nights ago, I was channel surfing and ended up on a show on SBS, 'Sex and Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll - a bio pic movie of the life of Ian Dury. He and his band 'The Blockheads' are favourites of mine. What a great movie. What a life, so filled with hardship and heartbreak but also so full of love and joy and reasons to cheerful.

My reasons to be cheerful and grateful:

1) I live in Australia, a free and democratic country with accessible clean water and where people are outraged when outrageously terrible things happen'

2) My family and friends

3) My mental and physical health

4) My Italian heritage

5) The simple things in life -to walk in the sun, to have a coffee at an outdoor cafe, to read a book, to listen to music and simmer down.