Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by ACM morning news editor Ayden Dawkins.
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The nation hurts this week.
There was already a sense of weariness rolling down on us. Cost of living rising. The scourge of violence against women climbs higher. Needless deaths on foreign shores. Flooding. Fires. Uncertainty for the future.
It's all a bit much. I'm sure I wasn't alone in asking myself how much worse things could get.
Then we found out.
On April 13, six people were killed in the horrific attack at Bondi Junction Westfield.
That was followed by a terrorist attack.
There were so many more stories of tragedy and sadness in our communities.
Like many Australians, I couldn't avoid the awful footage from Bondi circling online. It involuntarily filled almost every app on my phone.
It was overwhelming. And then we had to report on it.
In the search for gloomy details and updates, I found a common thread, the goodness of humanity.
Retail workers fielding people to safety, keeping the calm when they were at risk themselves.
Good Samaritans placed themselves between a murderer and the next potential victims.
And the security guards who did their job. One at the cost of his own life.
A lone police officer ran to the scene of danger.
In the aftermath, ambulance workers, doctors and nurses helped heal the injured.
In the days that followed, health workers have been at the scene for a community in their shock, grief and anger.
In Sydney's west we saw a church congregation rush in to assist their leader amid a terror attack.
Religious leaders united to bring peace to the communities they lead.
A bishop forgave his alleged attacker.
I can't imagine finding myself in the situations that any of these people have had to face. But the weight of the news alone had me down.
And then I met my own unsung hero.
At the shops feeling depressed about the world, someone shared a simple smile and made a quick quip as we scanned our respective groceries at the self-serve checkout.
There was a friendly and much-needed "have a great night" and then the unnamed woman grabbed her receipt and walked away.
The light came back.
She reminded me kindness is the cheapest yet most valuable thing we can give - as I copped the ridiculous cost of my shop.
I remember waking up in the morning after the September 11 terrorist attacks with the scenes on a cycle on morning TV.
My ten-year-old eyes were filled with fear and shock from what I saw, unable to comprehend the scale of the grief flowing from the adults in the room.
And then it was off to school where everyone else was in a similar same state. But that isn't my defining memory of that day.
That evening, my mum called us kids to the front window of our house to point out the neighbour mowing our lawn.
"The world is good," she reassured us.
I could see it. That same light.
New data from this week showed how we pulled together with vaccinations during COVID saved nearly 18,000 lives during the Omicron wave in NSW alone. Australians know how to step up for each other.
On April 13, more than a thousand turned out to march through the streets of Ballarat, demanding an end to the sickening spate of violence against women after the horror of their community has seen.
This weekend a candlelight vigil will be held for those lost at Bondi, a chance for a community to be the light for each other.
Other Aussies are supporting the families of victims from afar with one GoFundMe already crossing half a million dollars.
In these tough times, we don't all need to be like the heroes of Sydney, we can make a difference by being kind and there for each other. For our family, friends and even a stranger at the supermarket.
I hope you, and those you love, can find your silver linings of kindness, the everyday moments that connect us and draw from the hope they can inspire. I hope you and I can find the chance to be that light for others too.
If we all do this we can sleep a little less anxious knowing we will wake to a slightly brighter morning.
Morning news editor on the ACM national digital team. Do you have a story that should be told? Email me at ayden.dawkins@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Morning news editor on the ACM national digital team. Do you have a story that should be told? Email me at ayden.dawkins@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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