Comments on: wilderness (i)

By: Mick Mc

Mick Mc — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:06:28 +0000

In the early 80’s, my wife & I were privileged to be asked to stay at a mission station in W.A. & conduct a music program with the kids in residence. This was essentially a boarding school that the local indigenous kids attended during the school terms, & then went home on the holidays. At the end of our time there (which was also the end of the school year) I was fortunate to be told there was a spare seat on the bus which would take the kids to their various homes around Geraldton & beyond. This process took around 15 hours. What I saw on the trip will stay with me forever. These children whilst at the mission station were happy enough. The station had all the mod cons, comfortable, clean & well looked after. As we progressed from one house to the next what I saw was an overwhelming joy for the kids as they arrived to their homes. Particularly the last one. This was a cattle station somewhere out towards Meekatharra; the young boy whose home this was was visibly excited as we grew nearer; I had anglicized visions of a cattle station homestead on the horizon. When we arrived the first thing I saw was the beef carcass strung up on th tree to drain; the second thing was the tin shed which the young boy excitedly took me by the hand to show me “his home”. The third thing was the welcome we received from the parents. This was this boy’s home, & whilst the mission was comfortable & loving, this was his kith & kin; For a 1980’s white boy who, prior to this trip, had only ever had convoluted stereotypes of Aborigines, this was a life changing set of images.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:03:28 +0000

Last July I went to the NT and spent some time with a mate who spends so much time in the bush, he’s decided to see his house and move there full time! Seeing it through his eyes (and with his guidance!) was a real priviledge.

Krishnamurti once said: “When one loses the deep intimate relationship with nature then temples, mosques and churches become important”.

While showing me some sacred sites, my NT mate had little fear of the environment he was so finely tuned into and made faith seem so straightforward and easy to hardly be necessary. It makes me wonder if we need our faith to counteract our urban-born fears.

Great to have your inspirational writing back Cheryl.

By: Mick Mc

Mick Mc — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:45:55 +0000

Welcome back Cheryl. One of my jobs (in a long line of obscure work) has been to drive a large truck from one side of the country to the other. On what was to be the longest trip so far, Brisbane to Perth (on my own) I go to the end of one day & noted in my diary that the only words I had uttered out loud that day were “coffee, white, two sugars thanks”.
I love those long trips; I love the gradual process of withdrawing, calming & becoming still. It reminds me of what must have been the attraction for Jesus often recorded in the Bible where it says “he withdrew to a lonely place to pray”. I love the gradual change of the outback. (e.g. just when you think you are in a barren place, you come across the Nullarbor). I agree with your call in the last paragraph. You only have to have your vehicle break down once to realise that this wilderness, whilst poetic, is not poetry. It’s real & it has teeth, & it is unforgiving of romantic poets.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:02:55 +0000

you said exactly what i was thinking, greg. nice.

i think the roo and i were both a little startled to see each other there. it was sunrise on a gorgeous, hot day…

By: Greg Crowe

Greg Crowe — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:57:47 +0000

I resonate with the experience of that Journey ………. both journeys!!!!! The scary thing about the wilderness is the potential to get lost in it and that it might overwhelm and cunsume our very being. Perhaps even more scary is that if or when we return from it you are different and the things that used to make sense dont make sense anymore. I am not sure if I have been in the wilderness, but I sometimes think if I have, I feel more isolated surrounded by people back here in civilisation than I did when I have been in the desert. Maybe God provides the wilderness and the food, water and shelter bit is up to us? But the beauty and brilliance of the depth of that red – I could look at that dirt for hours. What do you think the roo is thinking??? Greg