02/06/2026
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฝ; ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐
๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
Today, while searching for a contact from a Sunshine Coast Regional Council meeting at the Caloundra Chambersโa moment where I was deeply immersed in finding a new model of care for our regionโI found myself unzipping a pencil case. My business card books are long since full, so there they sat: a tangible archive of a time when I was searching for anyone who might join me in building community, as shown in the ๐๐ถ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด image.
Looking at this collection of connections, I am struck by the sheer kaleidoscopic diversity of human endeavour. From funeral directors and archaeologists to harpists, cybersecurity professionals, and makers of tea cosies, these cards help explain the "why" behind my past exhaustion.
I was burning out because I was trying to connect a world that had not yet realised it was part of a single, interdependent ecosystem.
I kept these cards as a reminder of the grind. But they also tell a deeper story about what most of us want: to be seen, to be useful, and to belong.
I kept going, even when the path felt lonely. I kept reaching out, believing that if I held the space, someone would notice. Eventually, they did, from across the ocean, reminding me that the relational work we do locally can have global resonance.
The list Iโm holding is a microcosm of the society we are building together:
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ & ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐
The ceramicists, poets, storytellers, musicians, and makers of broken porcelain art.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
The hospice volunteers, funeral celebrants, childcare consultants, pastors, and community carers.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐
The innovation managers, researchers, technology officers, and community development professionals.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐
The plumbers, retailers, real estate agents, financial controllers, and many others whose work quietly keeps communities functioning.
Each card represents a person who, like me, is navigating the complexities of life, work, and community. We are not simply collections of job titles; we are the threads that hold the fabric of the Sunshine Coast together.
Over time, I have learned that the "better way" is rarely found in individual transactions. It emerges in the relational spaces between people. It is found in the unexpected intersections: between the Cemeteries Operations Supervisor and the Vocalist, the Heritage Consultant and the Multicultural Worker, the Funeral Director and the Artist.
Community is not built through sectors. It is built through relationships.
To everyone whose card still sits in my pencil case: thank you for being part of my journey, and for showing me that while community building can be demanding, it remains some of the most meaningful work we can do.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐'๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ?
~ Gillian Hall
