The Good Life.

I like life’s little revelations, in particular when I am already feeling the world is wonderful.  Last weekend was my birthday and I was already in good spirits.  Call it Christmas cheer, birthday bliss or whatever, but I was feeling pretty pleased with the way life was going.  To celebrate my birthday, we took a road trip across to the West Coast of New Zealand.  It is a rugged coast facing out to the Tasman Sea, the physical and cultural buffer between Australia and New Zealand.   The Southern Alps which form the spine of the South Island force moisture from the clouds to soak this part of the world with up to 18 metres of rain a year.  It is a landscape of lush and vibrant colour, changing vistas at each corner and an absolute world away from the Canterbury Plains where we live.  If the destination sounds extraordinary, the road trip across the island is as remarkable. Disappearing from the Canterbury Plains, the road carves in to the foot hills, pirouetting with the braided rivers as each criss-crosses the valley on separate paths.  On their way to the ocean, the turquoise waters race past islands of brightly coloured flowers.  Verdant vegetation embraces the valley walls, altering in density and stature as elevations increase.   All around there is water cascading down the slopes in varying volumes, as though the mountains themselves are melting.  Where the hills fuse with the rising mountains, the still snowy peaks draw the traveller’s eyes further skyward to blink in the summer sunshine at the cobalt blue skies.  As the entire scene awakens my senses, I draw a deep breathe to capture this moment as Mother Nature reaches down to kiss my cheek.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly........for this week.

The Good: Once again I find myself being self-indulgent thanks to the fortunes bestowed upon by my spirit guides.  To have found the job I currently enjoy now is quite satisfying, but the New Year is shaping up to bring small pot of new work opportunities for me to choose from.  It will require some careful thought about whether to return to the old and the familiar to put my training and experience to use or branch off on this relatively new path in I am currently walking to forge a solid career in the Aviation Industry?  All have positives, all have drawbacks, but just how to weigh them all up is an unknown.

The Bad: With the passing of Nelson Mandela this week, the universe will need to dig deep to fill the void he leaves.  A humble and passionate person who had an enormous impact on not just his home country, but the entirety of civilisation.  What he achieved was remarkable and his inspiring presence was enough to shape the future for every generation yet to come. He will be sadly missed but will live forever through his legacy of hope and change is possible for everyone.

The Ugly: It has been a week of road works, more terrifying than normal.  Because the earthquakes of 2010/11 caused so much damage above ground, it is easy to forget what damage there is below.  Water pipes, power lines and waste water systems are all cracked while many roads themselves suffered severe buckling and appeared shattered like glass.  I do understand the need to replace all of this and as a result, the ongoing traffic disruptions are a necessary evil.  But I do wish it wasn't so.

''They have had me for 27 years. If I keep hating them, they will still have me." Nelson Mandela 1918-2013.

Are we Kiwis yet?

So, we bought some land and now we are about to build a house.  At various times in the past I have said to myself “now we are really Kiwis”, but if none of those past instances have served to be ‘the’ moment, then surely the purchase of a small slice of New Zealand counts?  We have downsized from our farm back in Australia, to a paltry 10 acres.  With only neighbours on one side, there is a wonderful sense of space and freedom.  Slight undulation means there are some small ponds and winter flowing creeks.  From one side, the rugged mountain ranges are watching us through the changing seasons.  To the other side is the Canterbury Plains and views over to the old volcanic cones which form Banks Peninsula.  The house will be a transportable, built off site and moved when completed.  It was the quickest way to get a house given the housing crisis New Zealand is currently experiencing.   It will be bigger than our house back in Australia though, and BRAND NEW!  We will add decking and do some landscaping soon after moving in, plus we will be getting a larger pond dug out when the contractors come to put in a driveway.  All the elements we want will be attainable and I am so pleased with our decision to do this instated of wait to find an established house and property.  I will update you all regularly. Have to go wipe the smile of my face now.  Don’t want people to think I am up to no good.

Not the greatest quality video, but it needed to be compressed to be uploaded.  Maybe photos next time.....

As old as you feel.

I was chatting to one of my new work colleagues during the week about general stuff and she started asking questions about my life.  Things I had done, jobs I had worked in, places I have lived and so forth.  It was a brief conversation yet quite revealing.  Not just because I disclosed more of myself to this new person, but because I essentially heard what I was saying, as if someone else was doing the talking.  Not only that, but they were talking about someone else's life.  A life that I wanted to have lived.  It was enlightening to think that this was me I was talking out aloud about.  The colleague echoed my own quickly manifesting private thoughts by stating with a tone of surprise and astonishment that I have been living a great life.  The real knock-me-down moment though was yet to follow.  She continued in her admiration of past my past exploits by adding "and you are still so young!".  Me, who lately has been spending more time than I can justify, thinking how I am beyond the magical prime years.  That somewhere I passed the point of no return, where all the adventure dissipates to be superceded by routine, career, future wealth, old age and then death. So considering this older person’s point of view, I suddenly felt like the world was mine once again.  That doors are all still open to a swarm of opportunities and things yet to accomplish.  I could do anything, be anyone, and go anywhere.  And you know what?  That's exactly what I am going to do.

Great expecations

One of my greatest achievements.....?

Great achievements come in all sizes.  I often find myself reflecting on my own past experiences, feeling a glow of pride and accomplishment in what I have done.  Plus, there is a constant source of optimism with the future being open and undefined, yet to be conquered like a new frontier.  But achievements are not just the big experiences in life that are considered special – a university degree, foreign countries visited or careers forged.  They can be as customary as raising a child, completing a course out of personal interest or just getting though the day without regrets or setbacks.  Life is not the same for all of us and how we gauge our own success and our own level of achievement should not be done by comparing it to that of others. Triumphs are individual and what makes one person feel accomplished and successful will not be true for the next.  If we were all striving to climb a mountain, there would be no mountains left to conquer. If we all wanted to raise a family of children, there would be no room left for those who don’t.  If we all wanted to be in charge, there would be no people left to lead.  So achieving our goals isn’t about being put on a pedestal or being able to boast about astounding experiences, it’s about feeling what you do is worth everything in the world TO YOU.  That is what defines a great achievement and that is what defines the individual.