Superman!

The Daily prompt question was which of three super powers would you like

1. Ability to travel through time

2. Ability to understand and speak all languages

3. Ability so solve conflicts

My first thought was I would like the power to be able to dry every tear of anger, hatred, hurt and pain, and to increase tears of Joy.

Then I thought I could be selfish and ask for no pain for myself, to be healthy and whole. Then I thought that perhaps my first thought is selfish as well, because if there were no tears of pain etc, it would make my heart glad too. Mutually beneficial maybe.

I possess a great super power already. I have the ability to love. It really is part of all of us, you just have to look deep inside to find it, then it takes practice to perfect it. Go on, try it, when you spread love, you will feel like superman.

To be able to travel through time?? why, yesterday has past and can no longer influence your future. The future should not be worried about because what will happen, will happen. Live in today! to somewhat paraphrase a famous person and book. Why worry about the future, today has enough challenges of its own.

To speak and understand all languages? Then we might hear somethings we don’t want to, and understand some things we weren’t meant to. I find the learning of languages easy and often shock people by speaking back to them when I overhear them saying something not incredibly nice about another…perhaps they will be more careful who is within earshot, or even watch their words.

To be able to mediate between two arguing parties would be nice, but wouldn’t it be nicer if they could work it out for themselves, without need for intervention.

Nah, I have decided, I don’t want a super power. I think our creator has done a wonderful job making us just as we are. Its up to us to make the most of what was given.

Dave

Daily Prompt: Non-Regional Diction: “Strine”

 

We in Australia don’t only speak the “King’s English” as some believe. We have a dialect all of our own. It is called “Strine” ( short for Australian.. in accent).

 

I shall proceed to tell you a story, in first person, of a family trip to the beach.

 

G’day, when we got up this morning, it was a beaut day for a dip in the sea. So I woke the missus and kids and told em we would go. I chucked on my blue singlet, my boardies with budgie smugglers underneath, told the kids to put their togs on and said “Get the lead out, lets go!”

We jumped in the ute, click clacked front and back, ( I got a dual cab), and off we trotted to the coast. Of course, in the back I always kept the spare barbie and bottle. Before we left home, I filled the esky with some tinnies, snags, couple of rumps (for the missus and me), and my wife made some healthy green stuff.

When we got out of the car, the asphalt was so hot you could fry and egg on it, so i shouted to the kids to make sure they put their thongs on. We did the trek across the sand and set up at our spot. We slip, slop, slapped then the little tykes went for a dip. The missus set up a beach shelter and went to sleep. I looked around and saw me mate Trev. “Oi”, I said, “Trev, over ere!”

“Oh G’day” said Trev, “After seeing you pull an all-nighter at the pub last night, I didn’t expect you to see daylight today. How did you pull up?”

” Not too shabby,” I said ” I don’t think we will see Davo for a week though, he did the techno yawn into the porcelain after the 3am kebab. He was really under the weather. You here with Shaz?”

“Nah, she has gone to see her mum, but I got the youngens ere somewhere, better go back to my spot in case they chuck a wobbly when they can’t find me. Come over later and I will shout you one.”

” Ok,” I replied ” Did ya bring a trannie? Forgot mine and its the second day of the test today.”

and so it goes on… I could go on to explain the ins and outs of (arguably) our national game, cricket, but I think I may have caused enough confusion for one day.

Dave

Conflicted

I used to work with abused and neglected children, right from the very time they were removed from the abusive situation until appropriate accommodation could be found for them. We once had a set of parents at the door demanding to see their children whom had been removed from them by the welfare department (with great cause, I add). I was called upon to diffuse the situation, so we wouldn’t have the children cowering in the bedroom, under the bed, trying to get away from the parents who had abused them. In the end I was able to organise supervised access visits for them, and able to prepare the children for these visits emotionally and mentally.

Unfortunately at a later point, these visits had to be terminated, and the parents denied further access. After the children had been moved from our care to another suitable agency, the parents again arrived at our door, this time with a shotgun; putting not their own children’s lives at risk but the lives of other workers and children at the premises. I couldn’t placate the father however, and had to call police after he loaded the weapon.

I do hope the parents of these poor children finally received the psychological help they needed to live more peaceful lives.

Intense

A while ago, I had to undergo great stress to the point that I tried to commit suicide rather than face this private nightmare. There was a period of 18 months from the outset to the conclusion. I was forever on edge, at times severely depressed, and people could only console, they couldn’t sympathise saying ” I know what you are going through” , because nobody in my circles could say that. I sought counselling to deal with the anxiety and depression. People could only guess at the outcome, but could not predict what was going to happen. IN the end, it turned out to be not as bad as what people guessed, and I felt a huge relief when the conclusion was reached.

It was a life changing experience and one which I was determined to make into a positive. I re-evaluated my priorities and my goals for life. I took up art again, and writing, and with support of friends started photography again. These are things I had given up some 25 years before. I did a mindfulness course for stress relief, and while I don’t daily practice meditation, it is a part of my life and being. My heart rate and blood pressure are a little lower than normal and that for an obese man is quite a surprise for my doctors.

Since that time, I have given the making of money a lower priority, and given greater priority to enjoying life and being satisfied with what I have. I have gone back to study, this time not for vocational reasons but for enjoyment. I am doing a degree in creative arts and quite enjoy it.

I still have anxious times, and times of depression, that cant be helped, but I have learnt to accept these feelings as part of me, and just let them be. I know I will come out of it and get on with living.

The intense feelings I have these days have to do with pleasure at creating an artwork that I love, taking that perfect picture, or writing something which I know will enrich the lives of people who read it. I have intense feelings of pride when my work is acknowledged, when I win an award, or prize for my creations, or when an artwork, photograph or story sells.

I must say I prefer the intense feelings I get now, than the ones I had previously.

Dave

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

I am a rock/ me and my sidekick

I am sure there is nothing that either of them wouldn’t do for the other

Success

What is the definition of Success? It depends on what you value in life. Many people think that having money equates to being successful. I disagree.

Kerry Packer, who before he died would have been called a successful businessman. Yet when asked the question “How much money is enough?” answered “Just a little bit more.”

Are you doing what you wish to do? Work life balance is what I consider important.

Am I successful? Yes. Since doing a mindfulness course, and again reading Ezekiel 3, I have found that striving after things to be futile. I am doing what I like to do. I am an artist and writer, with a little photography on the side. I am content in what I have and what I can achieve.

I champion the cause of the disadvantaged, doing what I can to protest, and provide for those who have less than me. I hope I treat all those I meet with the same degree of respect that is deserved by every human being.

I am a person of humble needs. As long as I have food on the table and a bed to sleep in, and some degree of good health, then I am happy.

The Australian Philanthropist DIck Smith is one that I consider truly successful. He achieved his fortune and fame providing electrical components and small electrical goods in the early 1980’s. From there he started doing what he wanted. He is an adventurer who travels the globe in a helicopter. He is an advocate for justice. He sticks up for the underdog and fights for the Australian farmer. He fought for greater safety in civil aviation in Australia, and is a champion of conservation causes, having started the Magazine and retail stores Australian Geographic.

here endth the lesson