My brother Peter

When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

When I think of successful people, my brother Peter comes to mind.  Peter has recently retired and has deserved to live a quiet, comfortable life after working hard for many years. As a young man, he constantly studied to improve himself. When he was first married, he and his wife lived in a nice small house. Peter had worked for Telecom, now Telsra for about 20 years when he took a package in his early 40s and with that and the sale of their little home they were able to build and outright own the lovely home 🏡 they now live in. Peter and his wife worked hard to send their 3 children through private school, and he taught his children well to save money and look after their finances.

Peter has now retired as has his wife and they are enjoying the benefits of a life well lived.  He is slowly working through his bucket 🪣 list and is off to see AC/DC with his daughters in November. I remain a proud and loving sister.

What makes a good neighbour?

What makes a good neighbor?

I am lucky,  I live in a neighbourhood of good neighbours.   When my marriage fell apart and I moved here, i really fell on my feet.  It is a very friendly community minded neighbourhood.

I have a lovely neighbour in my close friend Liz. She is popular in the neighbourhood, and our friendship has come to mean a lot to me. I take Lily for a play date with Becky, Liz’s dog every week. It is one of my favourite times of the week.

I just love the Christian Lebanese family that own the local convenience supermarket.  They are warm and engaging and they are a focal point for the surrounding neighbourhood. Eddie and Narge have become good friends, and the way they run the store,  it is not about money, but is about being community minded and friendly.

I will miss Liz and Eddie and Narge when I move . Thank God I most likely won’t move far and can keep up the friendships and connections I have made.

Good neighbours look out for one another and at the same time help people to live quiet lives where personal space is respected.  I have made some particularly good neighbours who are always supportive when times are challenging.

Oil painting

What could you try for the first time?

The thing that I would like to try for the first time is oil painting. I have tried other mediums but never painted 🎨 with oils. My dad used to do oil painting and so did Michael Fleming. I know I have a creative streak, but I think my creativity is my writing skills.

I would however love to have an oil painting 🖼 of Lily because she is so stunningly beautiful.

Curve Balls

As time passes on i realise that life is a series of curve balls that as time passes we learn how to deal with and throw right back.

For many years now I have developed a mental health condition that I have learned to live with on a day-by-day year-by-year basis. I have learned not to be reactionary when life throws me the more unpleasant or challenging curve balls.  I have learned to stop and pause when these curve balls are thrown at me. I take my time to consider my options of how to respond and have a great listening support network in both my psychiatrist and some particularly wonderful and wise friends 🧡.  I guess I too have developed wisdom along the way and I am always being approached by loved ones when they need a little wise counsel or advice.  My advice is always the same. Stop, pause and consider your options. Trust your gut instinct and never do anything that makes your stomach churn or leaves you with a knot in your gut. Always trust your gut and only ever do things that make your spirit soar. God has plans for us all and sometimes those gut feelings are God saying there are options he does not want us to take, and when we feel elated in our gut, he is letting us know we are on the right path. When life throws you a curveball ball stop and feel God’s presence 🙏🏽 telling us which action takes us closer to our life purpose..  I personally can vouch for this course of action because I am dealing with a few curve balls at once and am slowly working through them without being reactionary.  I am taking time to stop and smell the roses 🌹 and am listening to my gut instincts about how to proceed.  Life should never be rushed. The best decisions are those that make you feel at peace with yourself.

DECLUTTERING

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

I was avoiding doing some decluttering of lots of old paperwork.  However, I made myself do so and discovered in amongst my old paperwork, some speeches and articles I had written in my career in mental health and felt a sense of remembrance and pride in the work I achieved.  It brought back many good memories and I am now looking forward to what else I discover from my past.

Learning to have healthy self-esteem and self worth

I have just been watching an interview with the lovely Australian performer Missy Higgins.  If you haven’t heard of her Google her name and listen to her back catalogue like Scar and The Special Two.  Her songs are largely very personal and touch you in such away they will make you emotional. Some of her songs 🎵 remind me of different relationships I have had and are therapy for me.

Missy herself is beautiful delightful and charming. She has had her own journey of mental health issues and she openly discusses these.  She is a mother who wants to be a positive role model for her children and displays to them the good sense of self-esteem and self worth that she hopes her children will grow up with.  She is a truly lovely presence 💖 another angel 😇 lady like  Susaana. Missy Higgins hopes her music 🎶 🎵 inspires goodwill and meaningful experiences.   When I listen to her it encourages me to be another ambassador for goodwill,  empathy and compassion.  Missy has this by the truckload and she makes me want to spread my own messages through my writing ✍️..

A friend of mine has suggested I send my two books God Bless Our Dogs and The Dance Of The Emerald Dress 👗 to some publishers of children’s literature.  I’m still working up the courage to do so. Maybe it’s time for my writing ✍️ to potentially reach a very large audience. Wish me luck.

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