Friday, November 25, 2011

News

It arrives in all manner of ways. In the dead of night and at the break of day. A message across the miles, as a grand declaration or through a comforting embrace. It shocks and excites us, inspires and destroys us. And without invitation, most times it just happens. Without warning or mercy. The nature of news is a funny thing, because few things in life can lift to dizzying heights one minute and plunge to the depths of despair in the next. Instantaneously. News is one powerful medium.


Friday is Angus' news day at preschool. I only realised this a couple of weeks back, when he began requesting to take various items along with him. As the weeks have gone by, his enthusiasm for Friday news day has gained momentum. He talks passionately about it on and off throughout the week. Considering different items and experiences carefully. Then chooses one he deems to be most newsworthy and runs with it. He is utterly adorable when in news mode. His teachers relay the details of his efforts to me each Friday afternoon and it fills my soul with glorious nourishment. I'd seriously love to be a fly on the wall during the preschool kiddies news sessions. He took along his Cars DVD and a little figurine today. Apparently he did really well. Confident and bursting with verve as he delivered the brief of his beloved Cars movie, to his friends and teachers.


Then there is the news that blindsides us. News we don't want to hear. Today I received a piece of this kind of news. There is nothing I can say, nor anything I can do, because whichever way I look at it, it's just completely devastating. While my intentions were for this post to be a lighthearted one about preschool news and all things lovely, sometimes reality creeps in and flatly refuses to take a back seat. So my mood is solemn and my heart, heavy and broken, for a family who did nothing to deserve a tragedy, that is now their news to tell. News no one should ever have to be the bearer of.

10 comments:

  1. I love how engrossed kids become at sharing their news..it's so cute.

    The kind of news you have received is not so good...I had that kind of news today which makes living so far from my family dreadfully hard. Sending you big cyber hugs Julie :)

    x

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  2. It seems that Friday's news is much like preparing a post for your blog, all that gathering and wondering how to say it and how it will be received and hopefully embraced. But news that is life altering hits between the eyes and we reel, wondering how to cope and how it will change us and those around us. I hope that those with this tragic news do not have to walk alone in their darkest hours.

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  3. I was thinking along these same lines today.
    We hear so much 'bad news' these days.
    I'm sorry about the news you received today.

    My week has been a news turnaround.
    A beautiful young Mum came to me last week and we sobbed in my class storeroom as she told me of her just discovered brain tumours.
    She couldn't break the news to her daughter.
    I couldn't either.

    Yesterday, the docs have postponed surgery that was going to take her hearing and personality - at best. They may have found a way for her to live with minimal discomfort with these terrible things in her head.
    Who would have thought that would be the best news I've heard in a long time?

    Thinking of you. x

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  4. I'm sorry to hear your relative had to hear and bear some bad news, that can't have been easy for you.

    In terms of being a fly on the wall, why don't you ask the teacher if you can sit in one week during news? I did so when my son was in pre-primary, in fact I stayed an entire day! It was SO much fun, seeing the teacher interact with the kids and seeing the littlies in their classroom. Do it, ask! xo

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  5. Oh I got shivers reading that last paragraph. I HATE that type of news. Hope your friends are okay. Cazxx

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  6. Hugs to you Julie. Hope you and your friends are doing ok.

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  7. Sorry to hear you had bad news. Hope you are holding up ok. xo

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  8. Oh Jules - I am so sorry and I am sending lots of love to you and plenty as well for the family in need. xxx

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  9. Oh Sweetheart. I'm so sorry to read this last paragraph of this eloquent and thoughtful post. You and your friends are in my thoughts and prayers tonight. J x

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  10. Thinking of you and your friend sending you love. I know what you mean some news can change our lives forever. Stay strong my friend.

    Always Wendy

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