As you all know, my area hasn't been all that quiet and peaceful of late. And this has caused my next door neighbours to move out very suddenly. I caught up with one of them yesterday and she wasn't all that happy about staying here; no matter what I said to try to settle her nerves.
You see, she's 16 years old and when you're a teenager, everything affects you more. About four months ago, a couple of units across the court were broken into. These units were on the other side of the unit complex and we didn't know who the people were. But she didn't like it. She was terrified that her place was next. I said to keep her doors locked and she'd be okay; but she kept the break-ins fresh in her head the whole time.
When the violence broke out at Douglas Street, she bolted to Runcorn - to her boyfriend's Mother's house. She thought it was safe there; away from Woodridge and Logan City. And yesterday, when I caught up with her, I asked her if she was okay; as I had been concerned about her leaving the unit suddenly abandoned like she did. She announced that Luke and her were moving out. I couldn't hide that I was disappointed; and could only guess why.
But no matter what I said didn't help. However, what really bothered me was that she had never been to Logan Central Plaza or even the Logan Art Gallery or the Logan Central Library. And yet she judged the area because she said it was all violent; and because of the Douglas Street problems. I said to her that she's been here a few months and hasn't given Logan City a chance. She clammed up and ran inside leaving me feeling hurt; as I grew up around here.
I do remember when I moved in here, I was terrified of this place. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't want to socialise with anyone and didn't want to have anyone come near me. And as for shopping? Well, there were no buses to be able to go anywhere and my Mum had to take me shopping and bring me home. It was stupid. Now, there's buses everywhere, the area is far safer than it used to be and there's a lot more people catching buses everywhere. I just wish my neighbour had caught a bus with me somewhere.
This was her problem. She got people to pick her up and take her everywhere instead of catching a bus and getting to know the area she lives in. Even if she asked me to take her, I would have said yes and given her a tour. But she didn't. I did ask if she was catching a bus somewhere but she insisted on being driven everywhere. I just wish they hadn't moved so quickly.
What it comes down to is fear. This emotion can do some really bad things to the nervous system in so many ways. However, I have noticed that as you grow older, you deal with fear and anxiety (which funnily enough work hand in hand) in such a different way than you did when you were a teenager. I've learned to ignore the sirens around my area and the loud noises outside the unit complex; however when I first moved in here, I was one of those people who thought that everything was going to come and get me... and I had the horrible nightmares to prove it too.
My neighbour has done the same thing. She's let her fears and nerves get to her. However, instead of sticking it out, and working through her nerves, she's running. And once you begin running away from this kind of thing, you don't learn to deal with the next fear that comes along. I've seen this happen before and I'd hate to see this happen to somebody as nice as her.
You see, she's 16 years old and when you're a teenager, everything affects you more. About four months ago, a couple of units across the court were broken into. These units were on the other side of the unit complex and we didn't know who the people were. But she didn't like it. She was terrified that her place was next. I said to keep her doors locked and she'd be okay; but she kept the break-ins fresh in her head the whole time.
When the violence broke out at Douglas Street, she bolted to Runcorn - to her boyfriend's Mother's house. She thought it was safe there; away from Woodridge and Logan City. And yesterday, when I caught up with her, I asked her if she was okay; as I had been concerned about her leaving the unit suddenly abandoned like she did. She announced that Luke and her were moving out. I couldn't hide that I was disappointed; and could only guess why.
But no matter what I said didn't help. However, what really bothered me was that she had never been to Logan Central Plaza or even the Logan Art Gallery or the Logan Central Library. And yet she judged the area because she said it was all violent; and because of the Douglas Street problems. I said to her that she's been here a few months and hasn't given Logan City a chance. She clammed up and ran inside leaving me feeling hurt; as I grew up around here.
I do remember when I moved in here, I was terrified of this place. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't want to socialise with anyone and didn't want to have anyone come near me. And as for shopping? Well, there were no buses to be able to go anywhere and my Mum had to take me shopping and bring me home. It was stupid. Now, there's buses everywhere, the area is far safer than it used to be and there's a lot more people catching buses everywhere. I just wish my neighbour had caught a bus with me somewhere.
This was her problem. She got people to pick her up and take her everywhere instead of catching a bus and getting to know the area she lives in. Even if she asked me to take her, I would have said yes and given her a tour. But she didn't. I did ask if she was catching a bus somewhere but she insisted on being driven everywhere. I just wish they hadn't moved so quickly.
What it comes down to is fear. This emotion can do some really bad things to the nervous system in so many ways. However, I have noticed that as you grow older, you deal with fear and anxiety (which funnily enough work hand in hand) in such a different way than you did when you were a teenager. I've learned to ignore the sirens around my area and the loud noises outside the unit complex; however when I first moved in here, I was one of those people who thought that everything was going to come and get me... and I had the horrible nightmares to prove it too.
My neighbour has done the same thing. She's let her fears and nerves get to her. However, instead of sticking it out, and working through her nerves, she's running. And once you begin running away from this kind of thing, you don't learn to deal with the next fear that comes along. I've seen this happen before and I'd hate to see this happen to somebody as nice as her.
Everyone knows Woodridge, Kingston and Beenleigh are the highest crime rate areas. When the media protraits any incidents in any of these areas, they make viewers think these suburbs have the bad rep.
ReplyDeleteDid you see on the news tonight about a young mum had her car stolen with her baby inside the vehicle. This incident happened under her nose? And I think she lives near you too.
that happened outside my unit complex. The car was dumped outside my complex and was stolen 50 metres down the road. She had left the car running with the keys still inside and the driver's door open... simply an invite to anyone to get in.
DeleteI only knew about this because a photographer and a reporter from The Courier Mail knocked on my door yesterday afternoon and told me about it. Otherwise, seeing I don't watch the news (as seeing I suffer from depression and the news depresses me if I watch it large amounts), I wouldn't have known about it.