tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278805446419475912.post3256639097242995693..comments2024-01-25T13:50:36.131-08:00Comments on Excavator: Remembering Maryexcavatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12977971829976807873noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278805446419475912.post-90206191148957260872008-04-15T22:41:00.000-07:002008-04-15T22:41:00.000-07:00Amazing... and sad... We come across people who fi...Amazing... and sad... We come across people who find themselves in such difficult situations - sometimes through no fault of their own, but sometimes because they have allowed the situation to arise when it could have been avaoided - and try to be of assistance to them. Then they go out of our lives and we wonder sometimes whether we made any difference.<BR/><BR/>I saw a woman this morning, mid fifties, two sons. Has just moved here from Queensland - some 2000km away - to get away from difficult circumstances. But in the move she finds she has spent all of her retirement savings; has just come across a nephew who has been released from 7 years in prison; has just recently had an ear infection that has left her nearly deaf; a few days ago learned of the death of her son's father; and a list of other misfortunes.<BR/><BR/>She is trying to put her life back together with some dignity - because she believes she can do better than she has so far.<BR/><BR/>We talked for an hour and she went away very pleased that she had come. She is apparently a very good seamstress and dressmaker and we discussed the possibility of setting up a home business as well as teaching short sewing courses. She was also very interested in helping other people and I was able to put her in touch with a welfare course that is starting soon. I may or may not see her again and if I don't I'll probably wonder what happened to her one day.Douglas Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02123669708037831176noreply@blogger.com