Bushfire

We woke yesterday to the sound of rain drops on the roof, a welcome relief from the stifling temperatures of the heatwave of the previous couple of weeks.

Yes the heat was extreme, yes it was a pain, people whinged about the the power cuts from the load shedding, and tragically there were lives lost due to the extreme conditions.

Much of Queensland woke to the sound of rain as well - not the welcome sound of a few much needed drops, but he sound of torrential rains that have the potential to once again seriously flood vast areas of the state, already under seige from the flooding of the previous week.

All this rain, and yet still in SA the Murray River struggles to find enough water to flow, and the lakes are dying a slow torturous death.

But my heart really goes out to those in Victoria. All weekend they endured heatwave conditions even worse than those experienced here in the weeks before.

All across Victoria, the exact situation that thankfully we had managed to avoid was creating devistation beyond belief. The worst natural disaster in Australias history. Horrific bushfires are raveging the state.

The Horsham golf club, that had hosted Craigs Uncles birthday party only months before, once again gutted by fire. Thankfully as far as we know those that are close to us in that area are safe.

So many are no where near as lucky. This morning the official death toll from these devistating fires is 108. My heart goes out to those that have lost family and friends, and my thoughts and prayers are with those still enduring the agonising wait to find out if those close to them have managed to find somewhere safe to shelter.

So many lives lost, and a trail of destruction that is so hard to comprehend.

Australia is the lucky country. The majority of us are only brushed by the effects of wars in counties far away, we are sheltered from the extremes of disease and famine that envelope much of the world. Our government, in comparison to so many countries, is generally pretty good, and does the best they can to try and support the sort of lifestyle we have come to expect.

We are still the lucky country, but as this bushfire strikes with a ferocity never seen by us before we are reminded how fragile our lives and lifestyle really is.

Today I am truly thankful that my family are all safe, that we have a roof over our heads and food on our table. That my children can get a good education, and my husband can go off to work. I count my blessings today.

So many families, just like ours, who probably only days ago were in the same situation, have woken up today, heartbroken, there lives shattered, their loved ones gone, their homes destroyed. My heartbreaks for you all.