Mateship in Adelaide.

 

Oh, how wonderful it is to have aged together and connected over decades.

 

I would be so flattered to think I could be….

as accepting and fun loving as Dallas

 

as well-balanced and family minded as Dave

 

as sociable and respectful as Anthony

 

as informed and focused as Sue,

as well read and engaged as Suzette,

as authoritative and connected as Lisa

 

as single-minded and outspoken as Shelley,

as forward thinking and multitalented as Jane,

 

as self-assured and funny as Anna,

as creative and passionate as Spanish Jenny,

 

as pensive and philosophical as Jude

 

as engaging and inclusive as Jenny

 

as gentle and resilient as Brenton,

 

as self-aware and unconventional as Bruce,

as artistic and well-travelled as Kay,

 

as loving and self sacrificing as Sonya,

 

as forthright and jovial as Helen,

 

as self-confident and idiosyncratic as Virginia

as rebellious and independent as Sally,

as welcoming and inclusive as Massey,

 

as astute and benevolent as Susan.

 

We all bring our own traits and talents to the table but it’s delightful how we can reconnect and pick up the conversation like we were only chatting yesterday. With such shared history and having evolved into such diverse individuals, it’s really amazing that we can all embrace each other’s differences and celebrate all the similarities. We still laugh at past adventures and dream of future exploits.

 

In my humble opinion that’s what friendship is actually about. Just like Adelaide itself, we seem to have come of age and feel comfortable in our own skin.  We can wear our former work clothes or our track pants to go out shopping, socialize without the makeup, forgive the past indiscretions, accept the eccentricities, tolerate the differences of opinion, appreciate the different perceptions, say what we think without a filter or judgement and allow ourselves to be ourselves in each other’s company.

 

We are lucky to have aged at all as some of us didn’t get that opportunity and we haven’t forgotten them. As I have often said it is a privilege to grow old and we must embrace it.

 

How lucky are we to have you all in our lives?

I’ll end with a quote I discovered recently that struck a chord with me. 

 

“This word anti-aging has to be struck.

I am pro-aging. I want to age with intelligence, and grace, and dignity, and verve, and energy. I don't want to hide from it. ... I'm not denying what I look like, of course I've seen what I look like. I am trying to live in acceptance.”

Jamie Lee Curtis on the term 'anti-aging

 

 

A new daily challenge

Recently I have had a lot more time than usual on my hands. This motivated me to take up a new challenge. I have long been an advid collector and reader of quotes; most especailly inspirational ones and this prompted me to download the book "101 Life Changing Quotes" by Tim Beacham and to spend some time as per his instructions contemplating and writing about the quotes he proposes.

Early in the book there is some advice from the author from which I have selected the following.
“Here is my step-by-step instructions on how to leverage the power of this book and to transform your life........Take a few minutes and truly think about what the quote means and determine how you can apply it to your life......... The Daily Quote Journal is just a means to approach your goals with a positive outlook.”

While I do not intend to include all 101 in this blog I thought I would occasionally add some of my ramblings as an adjunct to the travel tales and a suppliment to the photo a day challenge I regularly publish. So without further ado I will begin and invite anyone who feels inspired to add their own opinions, ideas or comments.


2. “There is no education like adversity". - Benjamin Disraeli

I cannot one hundred percent agree with this. Fundamentally I believe that we all grow and  learn when we are challenged and extended beyond the comfortable range of our normal experiences but education takes many forms. It can and should be a positive, enjoyable and enriching process that doesn't have to be tied to adversity. Many such experiences are just as powerful in the knowledge we acquire from them. I acknowledge that some of the most valuable life lessons are acquired facing hardships and difficulties but not all. I can list as many positive learning experiences as negative ones, if not more. Yes the struggle to come to terms with communism in China, borderline xenophobic attitudes in Japan, overt cruelty and violence in the devoutly Buddhist cultures of both Thailand and Bhutan and widespread and overbearing poverty and its many heath and social complications in many different developed and undeveloped countries, have taught me great lessons and are adversities. That is to say nothing of the personal challenges life has thrown at me. There are however equally positive interactions from which I have learned equally valuable life lessons. How can one fail to respect or not wish to emulate the perseverance and determination of the Chinese, the work ethic and appreciation of aesthetics of the Japanese, the gentle, smiling grace of the Thais or the resilience and self assuredness of the Bhutanese. Through admiration and the desire to emulate these profound qualities we are educating ourselves from the joyful, respectful and harmonious aspects of life not only the adversity. Yes there are always lessons to to learned the hard way but they are not the only lessons. In fact there will always be education with or without adversity. Commitment to life long learning and not only formal institutionalised learning is a must and life doesn't only consist of struggles.