I had some upsetting news yesterday. Initially, my friend and I from highschool had arranged to meet up in melbourne to catch a train down to a hospital in caulfield to see an old friend and teacher of ours from lavalla who patiently spent every second she had to ensure we did the best we possibly could for our year 12. She spent most afternoons after school, and most nights staying back with us helping with any question/problem we had with whichever subject she needed, without the slightest sign of frustration if we didn’t understand. Her ONLY priority was to make us do well. I can safely say, if it wasn’t for this woman’s contribution to my schooling, I would not be in the course that im in right now, and I would not have gotten the enter score that I did.

At the start of 2007, it was discovered that she has brain cancer. Shes undergone many operations and taken many drugs to try and extend the inevitable. A few weeks ago she went in for an operation in which her surgeon said she should have about 3 years of comfortable life left. However shortly after something had happened and she is in a bad state. Initially this friend and I had planned to go in to see her, but after meeting him in the city, he informed me that the doctors have suggested no more visits. Her once brilliant brain that could explain every detail of particle physics, space time, Einstein’s theory of relativity and more, has now deteriorated to a point now where she cannot structure sentences or even recognise most people. It was suggested that visiting her would be devastating for us, especially if she wont even know who or why we are there.

I was feeling very down after this, and didn’t want to go home right away so I went into St pauls church in melbourne and sat for a while. I had my camera at the time and just went for a 3 hour wander through the city taking shots of what felt appropriate to my mood. For some reason I feel a strong connection between this information about Natalia and the photo I have of the elevator doors, "The Inevitable" [link] . It seems very heavenly & pure, and to me symbolizes the simple yet pleasing life she has lead, and what awaits her.