Out of the Fire and into the Light: sounds of trouble usher songs of joy

WOULD THE ANZAC SOLDIER SAY,

"Good has come from this day" ?

Has something terrible ever happened to you which afterward you realized made opportunity for good things in your life?

While we remember the great loss of our nation at Gallipoli 100 years ago this ANZAC Day, I'm reminded of my personal loss and the strange way in which they are linked.

Cool atmospheric shot of the help that came when our house got too hot.

This past year I’ve experienced a series of traumas including the loss of 7 years’ worth of images from my four blogs and then a house fire. For eight weeks I camping at a motel while my sooty house was repaired and its surviving contents cleaned.

My life as it was STOPPED. But it turns out that wasn’t such a bad thing. Despite the emotional distress of the upheaval caused by the fire and coping with essential functions of my life being spread around town, I had something of a holiday. Also, a couple of events occurred while I was there that I would not have been part of if I had been at home.

Sue’s ANZAC biscuits, beautifully wrapped and hand-delivered in a basket.

One was ANZAC Day. On 25th April 2014, I was living just a block from the cenotaph. I was able to get to both the Dawn Service and 9am Civic Parade on my own steam, and leave when I was ready. Which, armed with my camera, in the first instance wasn’t until well after everyone else had left. I had the sunrise all to myself.

Dannevirke Cenotaph at Sunrise, 25 April 2014

The fallout of this was a creative project I hope to share with you before much longer*, an ANZAC Day commemorative video featuring Dannevirke children, serving soldiers from Linton Army Camp, and the only remaining war veteran in our district who served in Korea.

*The commemorative video is unfinished because I need 3 things:
1) a video-buff to resolve a video editing issue for me;
2) a male with antipodean accent to record a 2-sentence voice-over;
3) a photographer who can provide two suitable ANZAC- or war-themed photo plates.
If you can help, or know someone who might be interested, please let me know!

Rear view of Alpha Company, 1RNZIR Linton, Dawn Parade, ANZAC Day 2014

But what’s an Anzac video without music? I took my voice recorder into the motel bathroom for an acapella song session, thankful there was almost no traffic that day, and no neighbours to make noises through the wall. The result was a series of melodies on the “freedom” theme, inspired by the beautiful singing of Maori women on an Anzac Day TV program featuring New Zealand tribal anthems. I aim to use one of these in the video.

Narelle’s temporary recording studio, bathroom of #12, Destinations Motel

 Out of what was meant for harm comes good!

"Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men."** "Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."***

Fiat lux! May there be light in your life and in mine, always.
Narelle

**Psalm 107
***James 1:17