Saturday was possibly Goulburn’s most glorious day, weatherwise, in 2017.
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Pure, unabated sunshine bathed those who headed out for two of the city’s ‘big ticket’ items of entertainment, the CanAssist Show ‘n’ Shine at Poidevin Oval by day, and Pictures and Popcorn in Belmore Park by night.
Lucky us, eh?
Particularly the latter, a terrific family and friends initiative from Goulburn Mulwaree Council that’s had mixed fortunes, meteorologically speaking. It found a silver lining at Veolia Arena in March this year as grey clouds threatened rain; a lesson learned from its September 2016 postponement. But on Saturday, clear, hot skies dotted with the palest of floss cooled to a warm dry night perfectly suited to a screening of the animated savannah in The Lion King.
Earlier, at the CanAssist car and motorcycle show, more than 100 entrants across the two categories drew crowds and their gold coins to the oval. Duco and chrome shone and sparkled under blue skies and, with hot food and icy treats on hand, all seemed very cheery for the cancer fundraiser.
CanAssist Goulburn and district branch president – and cancer survivor – Ian McMurdo took a moment from the static display to reflect on this sense of wellbeing. “I’m a lucky man,” he said humbly, having some time ago been diagnosed and treated for cancer before very successfully setting up the local branch of the patient-focused charity.
If someone who has met their mortality face-on can muse about their good fortunes, then surely the rest of us have little to complain or agitate about.
Well, actually, we do, and if not for ourselves, then for others.
There is still much to be done to create more employment, improve education, alleviate housing (un)affordability, mitigate climate extremes and redress our asylum policy.
All of these issues have received too little attention from our various governments this past year.
We are lucky, under sunny skies – but it’s always raining somewhere; if not on us now, then soon, or on some poor person not quite ready for their rainy day.
Like Mr McMurdo, we can share our luck with the less fortunate by taking the lead in showing the way on issues of importance; and like Pictures and Popcorn, be ready to change with the prevailing conditions.