Trying to Understand

🌸 “I don’t understand it”

🌼 “What’s that?”

🌸 “Why it’s still an issue today”

🌼 “It’s still an issue because people still hurt

🌸 “But why are they hurting… today?”

🌼 “We hurt because it’s generational, it’s our identity, it’s about belonging”

🌸 “Oh wow, that’s a lot of stuff”

🌼 “Yes, and the grief never stops”

🌸 “But… it happened so long ago”

🌼 “Well, yes but also, not really, it still happened to me

🌸 “Oh what? It did?”

🌼 “Yes, you knew I was taken away”

🌸 “Yeah...” (Pause) “How has it affected you then?”

🌼 “Well, I don’t belong anywhere really. I don’t have roots”

🌸 “Yeah, I guess you grew up without culture”

🌼 “That’s right. Away from culture, language, family, country

🌸 “Whoah! That’s a lot to deal with”

🌼 “Yes, I never fit anywhere, there’s always a piece missing”

🌸 “Oh, do you ever feel whole?”

🌼 “Only around my people, my mob, on country”

🌸 “I’ve heard there’s a spirituality to it too”

🌼 “Yes! Big time! My heart aches for country. Each day my spiritual link to the land gets stronger”

🌸 “I guess I’ll never get it”

🌼 “No, sorry, not unless you’re Aboriginal”

🌸 “Hmmm!”

🌼 “And every Aboriginal person still feels it whether they were stolen or not”

🌸 “Nooo. Every person? Surely you jest?”

🌼 “No, because every family is affected by stolen members, the grief never fades.”

🌸 “I can’t even fathom that to be honest”

🌼 “No, and it strips you of all identity and belonging”

🌸 “Ouch”

🌼 “It becomes a lifelong search to find your home, where you belong spiritually”

🌸 “Well, we belong to God”

🌼 “Yes, I’m so thankful for that”

🌸 “No one can steal you from HIS family”

🌼 “Yes, you’re so right! I’m adopted by Him forever!”

🌸 “So you can get your identity there”

🌼 “Yep! At the foot of the cross”

🌸 “How awesome is that?!!!!!!”

🌼 “Yes, how awesome is that!✝️”