Christchurch took a long time to sink in. When I first heard the news I didn’t react at all, I just went about my normal day; I hung out on my back deck, I listened to a podcast, I walked down to the Critic office.
It was only as I was walking that it hit me and I started to cry.
Everyone deals with grief and trauma differently, and as a community we are in trauma. While we start on what comes next, be it gun reform or just generally trying to be a less racist society, we also need to remember to look after ourselves and those around us. We need to remember to be tolerant of how other people are expressing grief and mindful that it might not be in the same way we are. We need to be there for each other.
Our photographer, Aiman Muner, was in Christchurch on Saturday. The photos he took while he was there are over the page. They speak for themselves.
However, most of this issue is filled with things to help you in this heavy time. We have puzzles, quizzes, flowcharts, mysteries, and a definitive ranking of every bird in the Garden’s aviary based on their resemblance to Mariah Carey. I even brought the horoscopes back after saying I wouldn’t.
There are also a list of support numbers in the inside back cover. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help.
Look after yourselves out there.