Sunrise Coogee 22 April 2011

Easter Sunday falls on the first full moon after the equinox. A celebration that predates Christianity was most likely co-opted to give this day credibility. Much as in the US Labor Day became Loyalty Day - keeping Johnny Red in his place.

Coogee has attained a signifigance in my life since I've been in Australia. In the geographically inept map of the world I carry in my head it is the place on the Australia coastline that is closest to New Zealand; to Te Henga, Ihumoana Island and Eranga Point, to Marton, to Te Horo, to places people I love live and where they are buried.

It is the beach closest to the first place I worked when I arrived in Sydney - adolescent rehab - we'd take groups of angry, frightened children to the beach and to the cliffs. For a time they were part of the ordinary world, connected with it and able to be beautiful, powerful, loving and loved. I met one of these boys years later - he'd been clean for two years and was happy and strong - I next saw him on TV in a news item about homelessness, no longer happy or strong.

It is the beach I go to when I need a shot of - what is it?; beauty that takes my breath away, power that stills me, joy that makes my fingers tingle (this was before my first coffee of the day but felt like after my third).

It has become more recently a place tinged with the sadness of grief - a friend's wife died - I imagine that from Coogee early in the morning I can see their happiness and see his pain - I can see the gift she was to him and how he in turn is now able to give other people strength and encouragement. She is in the enduring beauty that is Coogee, like the rocks, the sun and the sea their love enriches me, his passion and anger inspire me, the people I've met through them enhance my life and so make me want to be a better [Oh, damn, hang on - Sorry hon, daddy can't talk now - I'm blogging about how much I love you. I'll let you read it later if you don't interrupt me.]