Anzac Day

Mel,

Being down at the beach on Anzac Day, was very apt, I think.
For all those who don't know, Anzac Day (ANZAC - Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), is a holiday in Australia on 25 April, which marks the day troops were killed at Gallipoli, Turkey in World War One.

So, while I was sitting there watching the waves come in and go out (the tide was going out), I was pondering on "death at the beach". And other "deaths at the beach".

And that was when I recieved the text from Julieta about Christina passing away. Christina was Julieta's neighbour and long time friend, and a friend of mine also. A very kind East Timorese lady of 60 odd years of age.

"So, how many other people have met their end at the beach?" I wondered, as I was drawing a leaf and trying to paint the magenta colour of a flower that is found along the edge of the sand and up along the rocks. For some time now, I have got the sense that a young man was murdered by pirates a few hundred years ago, on this same beach, a stone's throw away. Two pirates had dragged his dying body up off the sand and to the very spot where I was sitting, propping him up against a rock, to make him look like he had sat down there himself. I looked around for any remnants, like a belt buckle or something, but nothing like that was there. Then, thinking on past events that have happened to me in connection with the beach, I envisioned a woman who was with the pirates, but had not seen them murder the young man, having walked down the path from along the cliff face and happened upon the dead man, recoiling and having to head off further down the beach to sit on a rock to try to come to terms with what had happened.

So, what burden does a person bear when someone dies, and they were unable to do anything to prevent it, eventhough they were there? From my viewpoint, the sole responsibility lies with the person/people who deliberately brought about that person's death. So, what if you were there and you didn't take action to help the person who was dying? Having been in some very stressful situations, I know that a person can only take action, if they already have an understanding of what to do beforehand. So, if you are faced with this sort of situation, and you don't know what to do, you become in a way "paralysed". Especially, if it is something you've never experienced before. So, it's not so much that you "don't take action", it's a case of "you can't take action". Which is a whole different situation, to a heartless person who does know what to do, but chooses not to.

Reference:
The Inn on the Beach at Clovelly, Cornwall, UK.


text (c) Katherine Stuart 2013