Comparing Two Stories Analysis

The two videos we watched were both Australian Story episodes’ base around two specific influential women, Gemma Sisa and Belinda Emmett. Both videos, “Africa Calling” and “Some Meaning in this life”, were examples of contemporary spiritual searching.

1. What were their emotional reactions to the issues that confronted them?

Both Belinda and Gemma were faced with issues which were more complicated and serious than that of issues one might find in everyday life. Both Belinda and Gemma looked at their issues with optimism and confidence that they would do whatever they could to make the best out of a bad situation and move on forward from their problems.

2. What actions/attitudes did they discipline themselves to take?

When Belinda found she had secondary cancer and she only had a couple years left to live she decided that
she was going to live her life to the fullest and take every day as a gift and blessing. She was determined and unwilling to let her illness get the better of her or take away the fullness of her life.
At the beginning of Gemma’s story, she was still searching for some meaning in her life and, when she decided she was going to build her own school for poor and underprivileged children in Tanzania, she found a way to create meaning. She pushed herself to the limits by moving to a foreign country but was incredibly rewarded by the joy that it brought to children and families in the area. Gemma was hard working and optimistic about how the new school would run and in the end her strong self-discipline helped her continue to make other people’s lives better.

3. What values and beliefs sustained them?

Belinda believed that every day from the day she was diagnosed was going to be a blessing and a gift. It was her optimistic outlook that sustained not only herself but her family and friends in her last few years. Gemma use her faith as a resource to keep her strong and positive. She and her family were a family of faith and when she faced financial struggles in supporting her school and community she knew that as long as she worked hard and persistently she would continue to make these children’s quality of life better.

4.
How have they inspired others?

Both stories have inspired others to be as optimistic and selfless. Many people have seen the way that both of these strong leading woman have lived their lives to the fullest and have felt compelled to do the same with their own.

5. What was your personal reaction to each of the stories? What did you feel? What did you learn? How were you challenged?

Watching Belinda’s story was much difficult than I had initially expected. Hearing her family talk about what an inspirational and caring women she was and then about how devastating it was when she passed away was particularly hard. It was such a shame that such a spirited woman had died so young and from such a painful disease. When watching Gemma’s story, I felt very inspired to give more to the community and make the world a better place. I felt a sense of pride and joy at seeing someone give so much of themselves to people who had so little. It was incredibly satisfying seeing someone who had been searching for something to complete her life to find it and work so hard to keep it.

6. Using a religious or spiritual perspective comment on each
situation.
Belinda’s experience I felt that she must have felt a very personal connection to religion or god as dying is a big part of religion and faith and it would be nearly impossible to go through such an experience without thinking about the spiritual portion of that.
In Gemma’s case I think she was more inspired by her religious belief to become the woman she is. Her giving and selfless characteristic may have very well come from a spiritual and faith filled background and childhood.

7. How do you think their spiritual beliefs and/or experiences had an impact on their lives?
I think that their spiritual beliefs and experience had a strong impact on their lives. I believe that Belinda became especially spiritual after she found out about her cancer and I believe that Gemma used the faith that she had learnt from her family to carry on with her work and live her life in a faith and spiritual way.

Conclusion
Both of these strong and hard working women used their faith and spirituality to make the most out of their lives and go on everyday living to the fullest. Their ongoing determination and optimism made them great role models and members of their community.