Its been 3 years since our region was struck by the devastating earthquakes. Looking back at my timeline through that great app "Timehop", it was so interesting to see my various responses as each anniversary has passed. There was also my very optimistic and happy Facebook update from the morning of the earthquakes. "Im off to Kaikoura again for my census work. Cheviot to Kaikoura highway is the best scenic route in New Zealand in my humble opinion."
I remember driving back that highway later that day. My knuckles were white I was gripping the steering wheel so hard. I was worried, first that Bryan had elected to go to Christchurch to find his kids, and second that the earthquake may have loosened all the rocks and that another big landslide would come down and swallow me and my car. I went through all those tunnels holding my breath.
My friends and family were all OK. Not sure some of them have come through it so well emotionally or mentally, but physically everyone is fine. Those earthquakes have affected so many people in so many ways. Having worked in the recovery effort for the last three years, I frankly feel a bit exhausted by it all. I am lucky that I can chose to remove myself from it, and take up other opportunities. I do feel guilty I am not doing more, and I am not discounting wading back in, when the time is right. But for now it is time I let someone else with a more positive attitude take up the challenge. If you want to find out more about my job, shortly to be advertised, let me know and I'll put you in contact with the right people! Comms, stakeholder management mainly.
Walking around Christchurch city in evenings is unfortunately depressing for me. Yet I persist in doing it quite frequently. The place is deserted with the exception of the odd tourist, usually a bit lost and bewildered. There are so many empty spaces and broken buildings still. Yes, there is rebuilding going on, but it is going to take some years before it resembles anything like a vibrant, funfilled city. It will get there though, but I feel that I will be so much older. The rubble below was once the Charles Luney House, where I worked for some time for the Canterbury District Health Board. We had some good times there, I met some great people that I am lucky to say are still friends today.
Yes, today is a day to be grateful for what we have, and how we got to here.
