I figured out the purpose of my life. It is for me to do my best in what I want, so I can say I have done enough with my time when I die.  Simple.

Harry Potter and his magical world entertained a generation and brought the message of the perils of Nazism and blood supremacy to the forefront, through the actions of Voldemort and his Death Eaters – Magic is Might!

In year 7, I felt like I had friends.  I thought I fit in for the first time, despite not being everyone’s favourite person, I got on with a few and had fun times.  At the start of the year, I spoke before Grades 5-7 to put myself forward for the vote for school captain.  I wasn’t chosen, and was happy anyway.  I thought I heard a teacher say someone only got 6 votes.  I was ashamed because I believed it was me.  I told some of the group in my year, and decided not to worry about it again.  It was a relatively good year, although we lost a classmate and her family to domestic violence which was really hard, especially on her closest friends.  I remember so many people from that year so clearly as we were then. Amidst everything, the sorrow and loss and confusion and celebration mixing into our final year of primary school, I felt more at home and accepted among the year 7 class than I had been ever in my life, or really since.

I have never really known of a premier of another state.  I was never interested enough to care.  But I know of Daniel Andrews. I would recognise his face and voice anywhere.  I watched his daily press conferences in the months following the initial outbreak of Covid-19.  Everyday as I worked from home and on my lunch when I was to be in the office.  I felt his initial policy response, while incredibly unpopular, was needed and the right thing to do.  For every Australian.  The wealthy, poor, elderly, young, those with health privilege, those without, and everyone who loves or cares for any other human in any capacity at all. It did surprise me. That Australians seemed to comply.  That those who could not speak for themselves or usually had their voices drowned out, would have their lives seen as equally important in a society where it is almost always not the case.

Kindness  by Naomi Shihab Nye