For the last few days as I’ve been walking around Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, I’ve noticed a bunch of posters concerning a young boy from North Queensland who has gone missing.
Every time I’ve seen one of the posters I’ve felt so terribly sad, thinking about what his poor family must be going through wondering, not knowing about his whereabouts, and how he must be feeling being away from his family and friends also. Has he come to misfortune? Has he run away and wants to go home, but now feels unable to go back? Or something else altogether?
I noticed one again on the way home tonight. There’s a lot of them around my neighbourhood, and I wondered if perhaps his family feels he may have ended up in this part of Sydney? Or maybe they’re appearing in lots of other locations also?
I guess part of the reason of why it’s touched me so much is that I’m originally from the country also. I can only begin to imagine the impact this must be having on the community around Cairns, where he’s from. Although it’s a reasonably big city these days, you just know it’s still going to be having a big impact.
And it made me think for a moment about a family member who went missing many years ago. I was quite young at the time and so don’t know much of the detail, but I do remember lots of overheard conversations while I stood quietly in the corner. Thankfully, she returned home several weeks later – as I recall – and has since gone on to lead a happy, content life. Let’s hope that happens for this young lad.
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