Home of Slightly Cracked Dreams

Once in a while you meet a special person. Someone you can sit up all night with talking (either in person, on the phone, or on the net). Someone you talk about philosophy with. Someone who you solve the worlds problems with. Yes, I do that a lot.

I was very blessed to meet such a special person many years ago. Her name is Tania Major, and she is the Young Australian of the Year. At 25 she has achieved WAY more than I ever could dream at her age. She finished school at one of the toughest schools in the state, went on to university and studied criminology, and is now working in that field, and at 22 was elected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and now advocating the issues facing Aboriginal communities. What makes this more special is she was raised in an Aboriginal Community in Far (far) North Queensland.

I am saddened that I haven't kept in contact with Tania. She was a very special person to me, and through some of my rather dark teenage years forced me to come out of my bubble and consider the world around me. I often talk about her to Hubby, and wondered what she was up to, hoping that she made it, and did something that she could be proud of.

When I heard she was named Young Australian of the Year I shed a few happy tears. What an amazing achievement for someone so young.

Last night she was interviewed on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope (you can view video of her interview on the website). An amazing, articulate woman who had my Hubby trying to hide a few tears. He could hear the echos of my education in hers, and her passion and drive impressed us no end. He finally understood how she could have made such an impression on me at such a young age.

I have been blessed by some amazing friendships in my life, some wonderful people who will always hold a special place in my heart. Tania is one of them. She challenged my thinking and challenged me. I hope now she can challenge more people and create some of the change her community so desperately needs.