Lucinda Kathleen Casey
~ On the Canvas Of Service, 2022
I wanted to be part of something bigger than me…
Content Advisory:
The following story contains personal reflections from an Australian veteran that may include themes of trauma, war-related experiences, mental health struggles, and suicide. These narratives are shared with deep respect and the intent to honour service, foster understanding, and offer hope to those facing similar challenges.
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Please proceed with care and compassion.
Lucinda—“Luci with an ‘i’.”
We had never met, but the moment we did, it felt as if we always had. From the start, there was something familiar, as if the space between us had already been filled by trust. Since then, she has stayed with me in a way few others have. It haunts me to know she once sat in her dressage arena, contemplating an end—only to return to that same arena to reclaim her life, and where her Of Service portrait was captured.
“Who is Luci?” she asked, almost to herself. A child of a Navy family, her roots in service ran deep. Her father left the Navy so she could attend Saint Mary’s College—an act that shaped the woman she would become. “I think a lot of my independence… and how impacting change in a positive way came from going to school at Saint Mary’s.” It was here she first understood the value of questioning, and of becoming.
“We were never told you couldn’t be something just because you’re a woman.”
Commander (CMDR) Ret’d
Royal Australian Navy
After leaving the Navy, Luci began searching for who she was outside the uniform. “I’m studying… Now I’m studying law, so it comes full circle.” Her father—“my best mate”—helped nudge her along: “Well, you know, you like being adversarial, you like being argumentative; why don’t you get paid to argue?”
Her bond with horses has been lifelong—etched into memory, family, and healing. “Horses have always been in my life… Their absence carved a hollow space. “Then, when we came back, there was this hole in my heart. I needed them back. I love dressage… it allows me to have focus and goals.”
Now, she lives by instinct and heart. “Twelve months ago, I wouldn’t have agreed with you for Of Service… I can say, you know, I’m OK. In fact, I’m loving it.”
“I wanted to be part of something bigger than me… you’re seeing us for who we are now, not who we once were.”
Our meeting left a quiet imprint. Luci’s presence—the honesty, the humour, the unspoken strength—reminded me that healing often begins not with answers, but with being seen.
© All rights reserved. Based on extracts from: Jenani Therone, Of Service, Australia: Harvest Publishing by House of JT, 2024, pages 313 – 322.
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The content featured here is extracted from Of Service, the original fine-art publication by Jenani Therone. It is reproduced with permission from both the author and the publisher. All rights are reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without explicit permission.
