At some point we all face tragedy, misfortune or hardship. That is why stories of people overcoming adversity can be so powerful. They demonstrate triumphs of the human spirit in the face of obstacles. The Other Side of Blue is an anthology of twenty stories, from Australians mainly in their 20s and 30s, that provide hope for those struggling with tough issues in their lives. The contributions span many daunting and complex challenges: from surviving childhood sexual abuse, to family breakdowns, 'coming out', domestic violence, depression, recovery from severe injury and coping with the death of a loved one.
While the majority of stories are from everyday people, well-known personalities Jess Hardy from Big Brother, Olympic hurdler Kyle van der Kuyp and Chris Cheney from The Living End also share their struggles. Life spares no-one tough times.
But as many of these stories demonstrate, adversity in the midst of vulnerability provides the impetus for courage, personal determination and new insights.
For those who are finding life tough, these stories show that you're not alone: others have also faced these things and survived. We hope they inspire you to find your way through ... to the other side of blue.
Michael Colling is a Melbourne-based youth services coordinator who has worked extensively with young people as they battle to deal with life's difficulties. He is the founder of Schools Out! Youth Consultants, which facilitates life-skills programs for young people on a national level and is committed to providing messages of hope. In 2005 he hosted the 'Nova's All Ears' radio special for NOVA100 FM, which dealt with youth suicide and depression and received an ACRA (Australian Commercial Radio Award).
