Gold Coast, Australia
New stories update on 29
May 2010
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A Work In Progress offers real life inspiring stories on
love, relationships, fun, lifestyle, goals and overcoming challenges, grief and
timeless love, being happy and at peace.
Living in "the Present" - a Key to the Future ...finding happiness each day with a
promise of the future
Its 9 at night, I'm sitting outside on our balcony, all is quiet with a wonderful warm breeze blowing over my face.
Spring - a new season - a change - is literally in the air.
I cut my first long-awaited, partly open white rosebud - its magical scent withheld for tomorrow when the bud opens
in a new day's sunlight. I close my eyes, sniff the exquisite promise of Spring and, taking deep breaths, the unseen
burdens of my day dissolve. It's true: the best things in life are free.
It does cost $$$ but I do love going to the auto carwash. I stop first for choco mousse cake then go line up and
the moment arrives: the water starts and two blokes, cloths in hand, happily go to work. I push "go" on
the CD and Keith Urban belts out a good ole driving song:-
And the sun is shinin',
This road keeps windin'
... (even though I'm not movin'!)
I'm alive and I'm free
Who wouldn't wanna be me.
I love those minutes of sanctuary singing along with thumping music, pelting water, eating
choco cake. Some
guys sitting in a truck trapped in traffic outside watching me sing my head off are laughing while the
carwash guys work hard buffing off the car. I wave a big thanks to my carwash compadres as I head out
into the jungle of traffic and life. It's not free but for $14 the time out is so worth it.
A fun time at the latest Harry Potter film at the cinema with the biggie lounge seats, big screen, big sound experience.
I always talk during a movie and get INVOLVED so it's great only Graham could hear me yapping 'cause we weren't
stacked in like sardines. Like kids, we press the button for extras to go with BYO toasted sandwiches, mango smoothies, liquorice, etc. Why do we need all this food?! Oh yeah, the movie goes for a couple of hours
- wouldn't want to fade away in the biggie seats!
Looking forward to a Summer season ahead and times bobbing about in the ocean on an early tide watching the sun rise,
the sunlight flashing across the water lighting our faces. Swimming to shore, stepping on the beach, squishing our feet
in the warm sand and soaking our faces in a hot beach towel warmed by the sun.
Another season of change ahead again with Autumn. My first overseas holiday was in Autumn at 19 in Queenstown,
New Zealand and there's nothing like walking through woodland in a gentle breeze surrounded by age-old smells
of earth and looking up through a canopy of tall trees with sunlight streaming through brilliant orange and golden leaves.
Happiness and good times are easily found and purpose-built but we need to stop our minds thinking about all the stuff long
enough to look for them. I see people every day - stuck - often women - living stressed and driving their cars "angry"
pushing at everyone and I confess some days things can get the better of me but it's better if I let live, let it go and
focus on more important things on the road ahead.
Encouraging next generations coming through in building their future is what living today is about.
Young men and women can face competition and stone walls wherever they turn. I see eyes glazed over in self-defence
- an illusion of indifference - as protection against the hard, insensitive comments the world delivers to them every day.
They fight to keep the walls up 'cause one more hit to their confidence could take them out.
I see these guys and gals of
the future who are smart, street-savvy, passionate with great ideas and a strong sense of will and self but how do I hear
them and why would they honestly tell me if I am not bullet-proof in listening to positive, fresh ways of seeing things for the seasons
ahead? If I think I know everything then what's the point of today? I may as well sit in a black box and wait
for the dirt to drop on my head and decay to turn me to dust.
We can be givers of belief, grow talent and leave a trail of breadcrumbs inspiring others to go after their heartfelt
purpose and, by listening, we become part of the framework building the picture.
I think about this because I recognise the need every day to be heaps better at listening.
I often see a culture promoting competitive status rather than competitive character with true heart. So I ask
myself: Do I shine a light others look to with hope to bring light into their life or do I put the lights out and leave
people in darkness with a cold, wet blanket on their heads?
I like the words in Kung Fu Panda when Master Oogway says:-
"You are too concerned with what was and what will be:-
Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
But today is a gift
That is why it is called 'the present'".
We can make a difference in the gift of today by planting good seed to grow new generations stronger in spirit who
are a key to the promise of a future beyond all our wildest dreams.
Sunrise at Surfers ...And the sun is shinin' ...I'm alive and
I'm free
grow new generations..a key to a future beyond our wildest dreams.
Morning at Varsity Lakes by Bond University
Tomorrow is always fresh
with no mistakes in it.
... Anne Shirley
from "Anne of Green Gables"
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