I began writing this on the 25th day of January.
It's 10.30am in the Coronary Care Unit of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Eora country, and the room where my son laid in, is empty.
Since after Boxing Day, he has battled his way through a heart attack, angiogram and now to this moment. Surgeons are implanting a defibrillator on him to keep this young Yanyuwa Kuku-Yalanji man of 25 years, strong of heart.
I sit in the waiting room as the clock ticks by with my youngest son in the operating theatre.
Only on Wednesday I joined my colleagues in Canberra to discuss delivering cost of living relief for our fellow Australians.
It's been a tough time for so many Australian families. In Northern Australia, residents are bracing for a second cyclone in Far North Queensland where residents and businesses are still recovering from the trauma of floods in recent weeks, especially the community of Wujul Wujul.
At home in the Northern Territory, my daughters and their grandmother barely made it through from Borroloola to Darwin before NT Police closed the Stuart Highway due to flooding.
Supermarket shelves in Katherine and Darwin were empty of fresh food items, while semi-trailers were left waiting in long lines at Dunmarra Road House, 300 kilometres south of Katherine, until they could get through on the Territory's main highway.
In the west of the Territory, I fielded calls from the local mayor and residents needing help with telecommunications.
My office hounded Telstra to get phone lines back up as water levels rose rapidly. Thanks to their technicians, they did.
Meanwhile the communities of Dagaragu and Pigeon Hole were evacuated as the mighty Victoria River exploded its banks, once again. More families from Yarralin and Timber Creek were also relocated to Darwin. The road to Western Australia was cut off to us.
If the weather system of this next Queensland cyclone follows its course, it will spread to Central Australia and we will have to watch rains and food supplies closely.
I know the government will stand ready to assist if it's needed, working alongside the Territory government to help affected communities.
As I write this article, my son's doctor comes to see me. "He's going to be okay. He's in recovery," she says.
In over a week's time, the federal parliament will resume with debate on the latest Closing The Gap target results which need vast improvements including in infant mortality, incarceration, employment and education.
For many First Nations people, today is seen as a Day of Mourning, and I respect this view. But today my family and I feel gratitude that my son is going to be okay.
Today is a time we can reflect on how far we have come as a nation, the opportunities we have here, and how we should leave no Australian behind.
And while some in politics want to treat Australia Day as a political football, the reality is that cost of living, health and well-being is top of mind for so many across our nation.
That's what the Albanese government is focused on – delivering for Australian families.
As for January 26, if you're demonstrating, or if you're celebrating, wherever you are, whoever you are, please hold the ones you love close in your heart.
Keep room too in your heart to show kindness and compassion for others, no matter our differences.
Peace begins within.
Yamalu.