September 4th

It is officially a year since our first significant earthquake in Canterbury since 1888. Sept 4th, the day a quake shook us out of our comfortable cocoons and forced our eyes open to comprehend a new sense of our own mortality. A year ago, in the dark hours of the morning, our city began to crumble and so too our plans for the immediate future.

It was the first time, I suddenly realised my life and the lives of those I loved, were in real and present danger. It was the first time I felt the need to rescue and yet be rescued. I will never forget the sound of an oncoming quake, a thunderous rumble and chinking rattle, echoed only with the whimpers, cries and shouts of my family. All were trying to make sense of what was happening and desperately reaching out for each other in the dark. I will never forget clambering around blindly running toward my niece, and being thrown into the walls, as the floor beneath me shuddered and shook. I can still picture the kids huddled together on the couch, their eyes like ours(dazed and quiet)in a room lit only by the light of a laptop screen. So many questions and worries ran through our minds, but there was no time to panic. Only minutes after the initial shock, the first lot of phone calls were made and received. News that our loved ones, were safe.

It was a long drawn out pause before everything and everyone was packed into the waiting van. We also realised then that we weren't alone, we weren't the only ones backing out of the drive; the neighbours were all opting for safer places too. So our journey then began along broken roads that were raised and sunken in places, with gaping cracks gushing muddied water. It all felt so surreal, with scenes like that of movies detailing war torn streets. An eerie stillness seemed to follow us, our very movement felt dragged, with only our shared comments and ringing cell phones bringing welcome distraction. Finally, what seemed like an eternity had passed and we were settled in a home with light, warmth and a cup of tea. The sun came up that day, finding us quietly conversing and constantly checking the Geonet website. A week passed with small frequent shakes, light hearted banter, and shared prayers. None of us the wiser that this was only a test run for more sobering days to come.