By Ruth Limkin Most of us are struggling with something at the moment. This strange moment in time. This shared experience, shared apart. Some of us may lose loved ones to this cruel virus. In the cruellest of twists, the chance to mourn them in the way we know eludes us, precisely because of the means of their death. Just ten people at a funeral. … Continue reading Loss and grief in the absence of ritual: a Covid-19 reflection
Hard work and some hate mail – you experience both when you care about the culture you live in and advocate for those who are harmed by the worst of it. So in the midst of busy days and full lives, why should we care about the culture we live in? Why not leave it to the professional activists, rather than getting entangled in difficult … Continue reading 3 reasons to care about the culture you live in
Have you ever had one of those moments when a total stranger says just four words to you, and manages to sum up what you’ve been struggling to articulate for years without even realising it? I’ve worn a lot of hats in my professional life, often at the same time. Whether in journalism, not-for-profits, education, government, communication and public relations, and now in health and wellness, … Continue reading Accidental entrepreneurs
A few years ago I broke my arm. It really hurt and because of where it was broken, I had a compression bandage and a sling, rather than a cast. I had to be careful not to bump it and had to walk gingerly through the halls at work, rather than striding purposefully as was more my style. I couldn’t get as much done as … Continue reading Goodbye stigma. Hello hope!
Just this week I was speaking to a courageous woman. She is courageous because she had reached the point of honesty with herself, and threw off the notion that she was fine. She realised instead that a richer life awaited her if she acknowledged that she wasn’t okay and sought support. This was why my life had connected with hers, and why we had the chance to … Continue reading Breakthrough after breakthrough – the power of others
I see the photos yet it’s incomprehensible. I’m in Australia and Aleppo is so far away – geographically and politically. Working out how to respond is confusing with conflicting reports about who’s on the ground, about which organisations help, hinder, aid or obstruct. So many agendas. So many perspectives. So many questions. I sense a shared helplessness with those of us who sit in our comfortable lounge rooms … Continue reading What not having hope feels like
Who doesn’t love a good hashtag. They can be fun, flippant or a great search mechanism. But it doesn’t take long of scrolling through social media to see that Aussie women and wine have a close and burgeoning relationship. We now know that one third of Australian women are considered high-risk drinkers, starting as a social activity, moving to stress relief and then sadly becoming … Continue reading Wine O’Clock – not always a harmless hashtag
When a terrible thing happens to another human being, and the community at large rallies around them and speaks up on their behalf, it warms the soul. It happened just this week, when 21 year old James Milne was refused entry to a JB Hi-Fi store. The rationale given to James and his dad by the security guard was that James was banned for shoplifting. … Continue reading When we rally for one another
I remember it like yesterday, even though it wasn’t. The nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Not being sure what to say to him. Feeling out of my depth. After all, he was the Attorney-General. Strangely, this was the memory prompted when the Ashley Madison affair came to light this last week. For those fortunate enough to have been out of internet range this week, Ashley … Continue reading How the Ashley Madison affair exposes us all
I believe that there is right and wrong and that we are responsible for our choices. I believe that there is right and wrong and that we can repent of our choices. I believe in the redemption narrative. It weaves its way through history, taking the hardest of hearts and simultaneously softening and strengthening. It takes the worst of behaviour and turns chaff into gold, ashes into … Continue reading And with mercy, redemption
