The sun was shining, Government House was a gracious reminder of the past, the gardens flowering for the investiture of Australians for their contributions to Australia.
We sat in the sumptuous sitting room, as guests gathered for the ceremony. It was inspiring to hear the contribution of so many awarded decorations for courage, extraordinary services in fields as varied as medical, business, government, social justice …. and of course my very special Order of Australia (OAM) for children’s literature and professional organisations.
My wonderful children were there which made it doubly special.
Thankyou to my friends who sent me letters, emails, gifts.
Thankyou to the organisations who are part of my life that supported this award – Room to Read, The NSW Writers Centre, SCBWI, CBCA, MonkeyBaa Theatre and many others.
It was a time where I reflected on my parents’ journey as refugees to Australia. I know they were there with me. We had lunch at 21 Double Bay where my father took me as a girl to share Hungarian dishes, laugh and share stories.
I carried a private momento of my parents with me today.
