Home Town Blues

For whatever reason the topic of my hometown has come up an awful lot this past few weeks.  I always feel pretty emotional when I think about memories from home.  Especially in recent years when I find myself in the solo waters of raising a family and creating a home for them.

You see I always imagined subconsciously that my children would be surrounded by extended family.  I assumed that our shared values and traditions would be based on the simplicity of good living, honest dealings and generosity of  ones talents and abilities.

I made judgments that they would become fine young people based on the influences that I hold dear of my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other extended family.

I grew up alongside of a large extended family who 'did life' together.  I admire and respect so much the times I shared with them.  Nothing sweeter that the smell of a BBQ on a summer night, running wild as children in the luscious gardens of my family home, or the scent of dust, grass and cotton on a hot night whilst running in and out of the conversations and laughter of the parents present at a farm party.

We shared as freely with our dear cousins as we did our siblings and endured the endless tennis tournament weekends our parents took or trips out west to visit friends on sheep grazing properties. Looking back, those Queensland bush tennis courts, weekends with friends and summer time BBQ's are held with such fond memories and innocent forced friendships that form the soul of who I am today.

I appreciate so much those simplicities now that my parents gave me, when now faced with the torment and arguments that prelude a trip to the local football match.

I won't ever give these up as I know I am forming memories for my children to cherish later on.  What I would give now for one of those long, drawn, out boring days.  So sweet now seem the fact that we were thrown together on those days.

I see that Australian Story is now about to broadcast a story about someone from our hometown next month and I feel so sad to be away from home.

Why I blog

Who you are when no one is looking

I've been thinking a little bit about my post title of 'who you are when no one is looking' which is one of the phrases that has been deeply etched in my soul from many years ago when I read Bill Hybel's book by the same title.

He talked about the fact that the world and it's people were suffering from an epidemic of endangered character qualities.  Delayed gratification, discipline, courage, integrity, endurance to name a few.

It's a little phrase I remind myself of when I have a choice between good and bad or in a simple way, the easy road or the harder yet more rewarding path.

It has dawned on me recently that I have held other's to account by this list of admirable character traits yet somehow my own accountability had faded into the distance.  In the place of the beautiful striving for character growth was a darkened and skewed expectation that these were demands and expectations of everyone but me.

I feel so grateful for the opportunity to re-set, take stock and move my perspective to the only place it should be, my own pursuit of these eternal qualities.

I am going to give myself a personal challenge to re-ignite the quest for character evaluation, growth, refining and perhaps dig out that dusty copy of Bill's book.

One final thought is a reflection on the definition of one of my favourite of the above mentioned traits.

Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and predictably consistent commitment to honour moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles.

In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. Integrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy,

 in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.

Now there's something to think about and embrace in the hope it can be shared with the other three lives that are so heavily influenced by me.  

one fine autumn day

It's been months since my last post.  There just hasn't been anything to write.  Instead of filling my soul with things that inspire, I have been stuck on survive and the daily grind that becomes familiar all too often!

Today, the haze has lifted and I feel a new groove coming on.  I was so very lucky to be reminded of many lovely things I enjoy about my adopted southern state.

There is just something special about the folk of this great state.  Ordinary people, pursuing their passions and innovators of the best kind.

I was privileged today to meet two ladies who are carving their own niche whilst raising families and juggling their roles as wives and businesswomen.

Firstly a talented lady who had purple stained hands from the manual labour of love that is her boutique cool climate wine label.  I hear only wonderful things about Kate Hill Wines and am inspired by this ladies obvious passion and energy for all she does.

Secondly, a lady who lives on a working farm in Tasmania's Derwent Valley.  28 gates is a luxury farm stay accommodation well worth investigating.  This looks like a dream destination and one I will put on the bucket list for sure.  I love the enthusiasm and sincere honesty of people working hard to create and live their individual dreams.

Thirdly, the first match of the football season was today.

The weather was magnificent today.  Truly spectacular to enjoy overlooking the football ground out front and sparkling river to the east.  The first day of the season whilst not a victory was a reminder of something I hold so dear in the change of seasons.

The unifying bond of spectators gathered on the sidelines.  Problems are temporarily forgotten and shelved with carefree ease while engaging in the experience that is Amateur weekend footy.

Things have changed over the years I guess, with today's welcome addition, an espresso van in the car park a mark of the modern era.

You get to know a lot about people on the sidelines.  Weekly woes and troubling times are shouldered together and lightened somewhat when match time comes around.

Friendships are formed, relationships meshed together by common ground.  It's a true leveller of men and unusual ties are made and embraced.

The community is better for the relief of sportsmanship and fighting together with the team.  A place to meet and enjoy the lighter side of life during the cooler winter months.

Bring on the hot pies, scarfs and 'espresso' fix from the canteen.

Southern family christmas