A New Life With Bright Colours.

I woke up early and looked out at the black night sky and I knew instantly that it reflected my life. I was living in a small cluttered unit on the outskirts of a busy city. I could hear the sound of the traffic and a loud siren as a police car sped past. When I looked out my window all I could see were the surrounding houses and units. Occasionally the neighbours were playing loud music or having loud arguments. I had been given this emergency accommodation when I became homeless after I was evicted from my former unit due to ongoing rental arrears. I worked part time in a local restaurant as a waitress and I had to live on a low wage. It was time to get qualified for a better paid job and move on with my life.

After breakfast I started researching courses and I found one. I had always wanted to work in Community Services supporting people who live with challenging issues and need support. The Certificate 1V qualification would prepare me for a role in a Community Services Organisation and I could do part of the course online and the rest face to face. I contacted the local TAFE and enrolled for the Course which was starting next month and I looked out the window and saw the blue sky and the white clouds which reflected my positive feelings about my future. I applied for a position in the course and prepared to start it in two weeks.

I loved researching, writing and learning new things and the course gave me the incentive I needed to move on with my life and leave behind the trauma I had suffered with my ex – partner. I was ready to support other people who had experienced domestic violence. Part of the recovery had been coming to terms with the feelings of guilt connected to the belief that it was my fault. It had been instilled in me that I was inadequate and I had caused problems in the relationship. My ex- partner was very controlling and he kept a close check on my daily activities forbidding me to interact with family and friends. I had lost all my friends and my family lived in another State and the only interaction I had with them were emails and a connection on Social Media. The abuse had ended with physical assaults and I knew I had to leave. I took an AVO out against him and moved away hoping that he would never find where I was living. When I first moved the weather had turned very bleak with days of wet weather.

When I drove to TAFE on the first day of the course I looked at the blue sky and I realized that it was reflecting my first positive move in starting something new. I parked the car and walked into the TAFE. There were a lot of students going to different rooms for their courses. My room was full of students and I sat down near a group of students who were talking about their work and the future prospect of advancing their careers after completing the course. They greeted me and introduced themselves and I joined in the conversation. I had been shy and reluctant to meet people and establish relationships for a long time and this experience was very uplifting. I sat with these students at each session and we started having coffee together in the TAFE café. My life was moving forward in a very positive way and I completed the course with high qualifications which set me up for a new career in a Community Service Organisation.

I had always admired the positive work the Salvation Army did in the community, assisting residents who were experiencing homelessness and I applied for a Case Management position. I would be providing crisis intervention, allied medical health services and development programs when I had determined individual needs. The ultimate aim was to help people be more capable and have more positive hope for the future. After the interview with the Manager I waited for him to contact me and two days later he informed me that I had got the position. It was the best news that I had ever received and I contacted my TAFE friends and told them the good news. They were all very happy for me and their friendship and support had convinced me that there were wonderful people in the community. They had stepped in to help me when I had the flue and needed to rest for a week. They brought meals for me, delivered some groceries and cleaned my unit. They had all started working in various occupations including supporting clients living with challenging issues. We were all very motivated by our work and we found it very helpful sharing our work experience in a confidential way. I was now ready to work on the next step in my life’s journey.

As I was now financially secure I was able to get a loan to buy a new unit and I went to one that had was up for sale in the town. It was a big unit with plenty of storage space and it overlooked the beach which was breathtaking with the blue ocean and yellow sand surrounded by a green forest of trees. I put in an offer and it was immediately accepted. My friends helped me move in and I invited them for lunch. We sat in the dining room chatting and enjoying the seafood platter I had prepared in the contemporary kitchen. We made the decision to go on a cruise during our holiday breaks and it was a wonderful decision I was now able to make. The future continued to look better each time I thought about it.

Occasionally, I looked back on my life and the change from continual trauma to more and more positive experiences. This morning before I went to work I sat at the table eating my breakfast and looking out at the magnificent view of the beach which was gentle and calming. Last night the heavy rain poured down from the dark cloudy sky. I knew my life would always have ups and downs but I was now strong enough to deal with everything. The outside colours reflected life’s experiences and the positivity and challenges.