An attitude of gratitude

I happened to be awake with my toddler in the small hours yesterday morning. A significant day for people in Christchurch - 4 September. I found myself reflecting on what has been going on in our lives during this journey around the sun, and where we were this time last year. On that cold morning back then, I remember sitting in the dark listening to Radio New Zealand, my then 1- year-old-son playing with a torch as we rode out those first few hours of rockin' and rollin'. A story in today's newspaper entitled, 'A Lone Voice In The Dark' describes the experience of the Radio NZ presenter who happened to be working that day.

But even with no power or landline phone, we did not feel alone. Texts flew among our Lyttelton-adopted whanau, making sure everyone was ok. Neighbours went out on the street in the minutes following that first quake and checked on each other. At dawn our friends arrived to have breakfast cooked on the log burner, cold from being in a house with no working heating. Later in the morning, the Lyttelon Farmers Market got going, a chance to lay eyes on friends and faces from the street and check in. And while that first day was not as 'big' as events that followed, it set the tone for how we responded: taking care of each other.

In the last year I have become acutely aware of things to be grateful for. The rhythm of our lives these days is driven by things that keep us grounded and firmly connected to each other: Wednesdays at the community garden... wandering the farmer's market;...craft groups among friends where there is often not much actual craft going on but plenty of love as we share a cup of tea...walking through town and realising I know many more people by name than a year ago, with real heart connections abundant...Friday afternoons at the Top Club... trading on the Time Bank..random hugs from a friend bumped into on the street who really means it when they ask how you are...going for walks through the town and admiring the view...enjoying wood fired pizza at the new Brewery ...listening to songs from our town on the Harbour Union...checking out theatre on London St, relocated from the damaged Loons to the ruins of the Lava Bar...being together. 

It hasn't all been fun, this last year, but the bonds between us are stronger than before, we know each other better and we know all about what resilience means. Have a listen to this great story on Radio NZ.

Yesterday morning I was happy to snuggle back in bed to snooze and think about the many things to be grateful for.

Written by Jodi Rees

celebrating anyway

After Monday's further major shakes, there is a lot of brokenness here in Lyttelton as you can see here and here.

There is sadness and loss.

There is also a continuation of trying to imagine a future with such unstable ground.

One thing that isn't broken though is our community spirit and with Matariki and Winter Solstice upon us and the Festival of Lights postponed, a good local crowd decided to gather and celebrate anyway.

Friends had already bought ingredients for a warming chai tea and had organised a yurt to put up on the old Ground site. Music folk from The Harbour Union played and everyone rejoiced to see a bunch of us stitching hearts and came and joined in.

These two young women held down the fort serving up warming chai and love. 

The lovely Paige, local belly-dancing goddess brought delicious cakes to share with families. She confessed it had been a personal therapy to get through these shaky times; an ancient way for women dealing with crisis.

We all encouraged her to continue this particular therapy and share the results.

Community therapy through baking and eating

Music, chai and community togetherness was served up into the evening.

With much of every new day uncertain at the moment, living in a loving, creative and resilient community is the certainty I stand firm upon right now.

Written by Jacinda, also at www.watchingkereru.blogspot.com

festival of the lights

• Masked parade - everyone welcome to join in. Begins at the Recreation Centre. Gather from 5.30pm
• Stalls, food and drink.
• Performers from The Loons and others.
• Homegrown musicians: 

Amiria Grenell, Unfaithful Ways, 
The Eastern, Lindon Puffin and others.

Always a great night. 

This year in particular we all have good reason to gather together and celebrate the shift towards the light again.

See you there. 

the wunderbar & the harbour union cd.

Last weekend was a big weekend.
Many of us here in Lyttelton celebrated the reopening of the Wunderbar.
After rumours of whether it was on or off the demo list, most of us were just keen to get down there, celebrate it's survival and enjoy some good music.
It was also the launch of The Harbour Union CD pulled together by some fine local bands and musicians such as The Eastern, The Unfaithful Ways, Delaney Davidson, Lindon Puffin and Al Park with all profits going towards the rebuild of our town and Christchurch.
Superb music, a great venue and  good people make for an excellent night.
Make sure to check out the CD.




posted by Jacinda Gilligan, also at watchingkereru.blogspot.com