Yesterday was a horrible day for Sydney, Australia and the world. We saw the siege unfold in front of our very own eyes and we couldn’t look away. We went to bed hoping that there would be a good outcome but we woke up to the devastating news that three people had lost their lives. If anyone can find some light out of this situation it is the strength of Aussie mateship. One man took to Facebook and expressed the importance of mateship so clearly and with such heart that I knew it had to be shared. Jason Maggs gave me permission to to share it with you all.
Here it is:
I just caught a train home through the central Sydney line. The mood was very different to my usual Monday afternoon trip home.
Less people were looking down at their phones. As you walked past complete strangers they gave you a little nod and a smile.
As I got off at central station I saw two grown men in suits run into each other, they obviously knew one and other. They gave each other a manly hug and asked “how ya goin?”… they both responded with “Yeah… shit day but good, I’m going good mate.”
I realised on my trip home that terrorism WILL NEVER work in Australia. We are not scared. We are not terrorised. We are gravely concerned about our brothers and sisters in that coffee shop. But you will not win. You will never be able to tear apart this nation.
Why?
Because we have a weapon stronger than yours.
Stronger than your religious beliefs, stronger than your hatred, stronger than your pathetic fear mongering, stronger than your misguided violence, stronger than you.
We are Australians and we have a secret weapon you will never have or understand…mateship.
We are a nation of mates who will never be broken by the actions of a cowardice few.
What I realised on the way home was that in your attempt to scare our nation you have galvanised our mateship.
You failed.
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Thank you, Jason
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