...more difficult to overcome, especially without ethereal assistance.
You may have the ability to triumph over most occasions of adversity, dear reader, especially if you do not live on the edge of any tectonic plates. How do you overcome distress?
New Scientist - The tectonic forces that are shredding New Zealand
Australia has had quite a few naturally distressing events of its own quite recently, as it has for much of its history. The people of New Zealand frequently come to our aid in such times, and we reciprocate when they are in need.
My twin sister, Madame Tā-tātou Ōtautahizone, has been very busy over the past few days, attempting to provide comfort to some very distressed persons, especially on New Zealand's south island. I have been providing her with assistance from a distance.
891 ABC Adelaide - South Australia's response to the New Zealand earthquake
Distress comes in many forms. My sister and I were taught by our parents that each form of distress requires a different form of management. We first discovered this, at the age of three, whilst learning to read the English alphabet:
Aggression - A cultural cause of distress. Bullying, bigotry and bad manners come into this category.
Biology - Our responses to life processes, especially those occurring in and around our own bodies, can cause distress. Such distress may be apparent in physical, philosophical and/or psychological ways.
Catastrophe - A natural cause of distress. It can lead to many other types of distress. Earthquakes are one of the worst kinds of catastrophe.
Disruption - When the most comfortable routines and expectations of our lives are suddenly hindered, we may find the situation deeply distressing.
Excitement - People who are uncomfortable with their usual routines and find their expectations to be frequently frustrated may experience boredom and even anger. This often leads them to seek various forms of excitement, some of which may cause distress to others.
Forgetfulness - Ignoring history and then having to live with the consequences (if you survive). This is usually a political source of distress.
Grief - A natural response to an irrecoverable loss. Having a repertoire of healthy forms of comfort can be the best way to respond to grief, even if it is unlikely that it can truly be overcome.
For the people of Adelaide, the distress in Christchurch is very close to home. We have had earthquakes here, but never such destructive ones. And there are some striking similarities between my city and the one my sister sometimes inhabits, as you will know if you have compared photographs of both places, taken a year or so ago.
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| My twin sister |
The Mount Lofty Ranges may not be as dramatically majestic from the hotel rooms of Adelaide as the views from the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Christchurch might have been. My sister would like to share these link connections with you:
Grand Chancellor Hotel, Christchurch - Landscape of location
Christchurch City Libraries - Home page
ChristChurch Cathedral - Home page
Hawke's Bay Today - Christchurch Earthquake: 10 minutes from death
The last earthquake in New Zealand of similar destructiveness was in 1931, a time my sister remembers well. That earthquake caused a great deal of distress in Napier, on the north island of New Zealand, overlooking Hawke's Bay.
Tourist information - An introduction to Napier
Christchurch City Libraries - Hawke's Bay earthquake, 1931
My sister and I have also been reminded of some other events of a similar nature. We do not wish to add to your distress as our aim is to provide some comfort when nature disrupts your peace of mind.
National Geographic News - Great Portugal quake may have a sequel, says study
The Independent, UK - Assisi in mourning as quake shatters Basilica of St Francis
New York Times - A fatal quake shatters fresco in Assisi shrine
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