Being at Thursday's national apology for forced adoptions was something really special.
I don't know that I can deftly describe the feeling of being with a large group of people who have a variation of your own journey written on their souls... it was amazing. At home amongst all those sister strangers. There were tears, snatches of conversations about unique lives all somehow marked by the same wounds murmuring all around, a few jeers (nice work Tone), heartfelt applause, and lots of moments of relief and maybe even a few heavy, heavy loads being laid down as people were told by the PM, we finally hear you, we see you, we are sorry we abandoned you in your most vulnerable moment, we will help you to gain some semblance of healing... breathtaking stuff.
And Canberra may have more than the usual population of power-hungry loons, but the city is beautiful, elegantly laid out and offers more than you could possibly imbibe, enjoy and marvel at in five days.
I'll definitely be back.
And Julia, when history records your time as Prime Minister, Thursday 21/3/13 won't be remembered by those present in the Great Hall as the attempted spilling of political power - but as a day when we came together, spilled tears and stories over a shameful past, tears over losses unknown, tears with the power to heal as they fall, and that makes it a day I will never forget.
Bringing things into the light... never too late, and so powerful.
For Andrea.
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