Cornerstone: One Woman's journey to find her roots

A true story by Kerri Small

Cornerstones are the bricks that hold walls together in a home or garden wall to stop it from falling down 

like the old fortress in our childhood fairy tale.

I closed my eyes and hung on with all my might. Into the backwash of the washing machine waters of

the wild ocean waves, I went, trying to swim out, but where do I go? My Adopted Nanna would say this

when I was lost in thought.

 “While you are writing your own storybook remember this!”

 “Everyone can be in the Storybook but not on every page!

 Tomorrow it will be your turn to be on that page!

 Writing to departments again, getting nowhere.

The same old story from the Government men.

Tick tock tick tock, the longest minutes of my life!

It felt like I was in the twilight zone for a lifetime.

Then the unthinkable happens with what she put in front of me on the table.

The very large paper files that had been on the table became just two pages!

 My Past was just two pages long! That’s all they are giving me.

 “All we believe you are entitled to get,” she said.

But, but you said! “Sign this…. and I will give you the Information contained in this folder!”

They lied again….

When the mist of time stands still;

You can hear raindrops crying loudly,

Noooooooooooooooo.

© Kerri Small

"Here in this book, Kerri sets out the reality in her own words. Kerri shares her experiences, taking the reader on her life’s journey of learning about her family history, the deep connections she makes along the way, sharing with us the highs and lows of this journey.

 Be prepared to shed tears of both sadness and joy and to be caught up in the storyline worthy of a mystery novel, as you read about Kerri’s detective work to uncover and explore family

secrets across the state and country borders access secret government

files and connect the dots of her hidden history."

Rachael Siewert,

W.A. Greens

Senator Federal Parliament Australia 2018.