"life happens....

...when you are making other plans."

Like earthquakes - a few big ones that brought down our city and town, and thousands of small ones.

Like good friends moving away.

Like stitching thousands of hearts on a street corner for weeks just for the sake of sharing a little kindness.

Like moving and then (in a couple of weeks) taking a deep breath and moving back again because there is nothing a family can do with their current home's owner returning, a tricky section and the "no-go-further-land-investigation-needed" white zone.

Last weekend was the first anniversary for the first earthquake.

I'm not big on anniversaries but a lot has happened in our lives here in the Canterbury area since last September and it sure is nice to stand alongside a community of people who have been through the same thing and mark it together.

We gathered in the Spring sun, ate shared food, played music and stitched medals.

The medals were a variation on the hearts and acknowledged in a fun way our bravery and sheer stickability.

And here's the thing; major earthquakes are, well, major.

They kill people, damage families, bring down homes and split people's hearts open.

They don't happen every day.

Thankfully, we have had the time to fully take part in this significant year in our lives.

We have had time to engage in many, many ways with each other, our neighbours and our wider community around us.

We have had the freedom to take and create our own meaning from it all.

I'm so very grateful for that.

** I think Bob Dylan originally said the quoted line, but don't quote me on that.