Spirit

As quoted from askoxford.com:

spirit

• noun 1 a person’s non-physical being, composed of their character and emotions. 2 this regarded as surviving after the death of the body, often manifested as a ghost. 3 a supernatural being. 4 the prevailing or typical character, quality, or mood: the nation’s egalitarian spirit. 5 (spirits) a person’s mood. 6 courage, energy, and determination. 7 the real meaning or intention of something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation. 8 chiefly Brit. strong distilled liquor such as rum. 9 a volatile liquid, especially a fuel, prepared by distillation.

How often do we loosely use this word? How often do mutter things like, "In the spirit of things", "the spirit of the game", "highly spirited". But do we really stop to think about the true meaning of such a simple word?

As children growing up in our country, we are also saturated with this notion of the 'Australian Spirit'. This invisible concept that Australians band together, fight and defend our beliefs and uphold values of integrity and mateship beyond anything else. These simple words that we hear so often, bandied around in the media and in cultural reference that give us a national ethos to uphold.

These last few days, as the images of the Victorian bushfires saturate our televisions and newspapers, I have wondered about the simplicity of this word, 'spirit'. Whether spirit is something that you display in simple form (a mother living off no sleep defying odds to care for a child; a man struggling through illness to go to work to bring in an income for his family; the simplicity of a child enjoying play!) to the more extreme that has been demonstrated by individuals and groups over this last week.

These images of people rallying to support others in needs. Of volunteers putting their lives on the line to fight fires. Of groups united in providing and distributing clothing and other items of necessity to those who have lost everything. Of everyday people searching and caring for animals that have been injured in the fires. Of those already in the grip of total devastation who are spending their time aiding others. Of a nation offering overwhelming support for people whose lives have been all but destroyed in such devastating carnage.

I once lived and worked in the country. Next to our worker's residence was a huge piece of grassland (at the bottom of a mountain) that would often grow long and dry out. As a part of its routine operations, the local rural fire brigade would come by annually and create a controlled fire to burn off the land, effectively removing the hazard and keeping our little homes safe. I remember once when we were concerned about the weather conditions and the land beside our units, we contacted the rural fire brigade and asked them to once again, do a controlled burn off. Without blinking, they were up within a couple of days, doing (without pay and after hours) the painstaking task of managing a controlled burn off. To thank them for their efficiency, we bought them a carton of that other kind of 'spirit' and presented it to them on their completion. They were touched by this simple gesture. I still remember the words of the man in charge....'We were just doing our jobs. That's what we're here for'.

These, I believe, are the real meaning of spirit in its purest form. And through them it is obvious that the Australian Spirit is still alive and well and currently working at its best in Victoria and in all volunteers across our country!