Endless Outback

Beneath the clear blue sky, I have burned from the inside out, and there is nothing left. I am a shell.  Everything feels like the aftermath of a fire when only ash is left.  Burnt out car in an outback river (Photo credit: Nico Smit) My home is under siege. Some things remain unchanged. There is nothing more quintessentially outback than the red dirt and brown rivers. Likewise, there is nothing more synonymous with the outback than resilience - picking yourself up and having another shot at it. Rain rids the desert of the tang of smoke. Although it is curtained by heat, when the river flows, the old is swept away. I lift my eyes to the horizon, and I know this is not the end for me. This is not the final story I will tell. Beyond the skyline lies eternity and in my heart is hope. Our community holds the line, our strength in one another. This is not the end.