You know, I would say that I travelled a pretty amazing journey.
From the time I was 3 years old ( about 46 and 1/2 years ago), I have undergone signifcant change. By "significant change", I mean in those areas that are considered to be the most traumatic...loss or separation of immediate family members (6 of the 8-having only my younger sibling with me all through to 18), geographical moves ( 25 places in totally different parts of Sydney by the age of 25). I had one 7 year stretch till I turned 32, then, once again, interstate and added another 12 addresses and a four month bout of "no permanent address"-yes, officially homeless. But this is not a sad story-by no means!
Aside from moving a lot, obviously I met a lot of different people too-from all manner of backgrounds. A much as I longed for emotional stability and anchors, I don't think I ever realised, until now, just how much I loved the colour and diversity of this life path. I was a 'shapeshifter'. I could fit anywhere and connect. I could adapt to multiple environments and moved between them easily. I became an expert at transition and observed people from all sides as they viewed the "others" with whom I felt an equal connection on some level.
I experienced a great deal of contrast early in life that help me to sharply clarify dreams for desired alternatives. I also had some fantastic opportunities to experience fun and unique opportunities. This has never ceased but I can see that my young life could be greatly responsible for my appetite to live life to the full and on my own terms. And like never before, I am viewing every single aspect of my personal history as a true gift-even the deepest of sorrows and shames-because they all so enlarged my capacity to profoundly imagine the life I desire and created in my a refusal to accept less.
Yep, that's me. Left front row. The only one in a winter uniform, hair absolutely everywhere and NO front teeth! I had three brothers, so a game of "Chasings" before school was always likely! And the girl next to me ( Danielle) is wearing BALLET slippers and no uniform.
On a wonderfully positive note, one such period was when I was attending North Curl Curl Primary School. Although a very difficult time for my family, I had the wonderful experience of being recognised for my singing by anyone and everyone! Every lunch time and recess, I was asked to sing ( as a little 8 yr, with no front teeth), taking requests and including hits of the day like Leaving On a Jet Plane and Bridge Over Troubled Water. My young heart, although overjoyed at the pleasure I brought people was already capable of expressing the sentiments of these songs through my voice and I got an incredible taste of what it was to take people on an emotional journey with me.
Any one who knows me, whether from then, in between, or now, knows this is still the case. It set the tone of one of my greatest life desires: to give my music to those who could hear it and be somehow moved by it for their benefit.
A little later on, and one brother less, we moved again and I attended Avalon Primary School. This school amazed me from the outset! It was HUGE to my 9 and1/2 yr old eyes. As big as any high school I'd ever seen, double storeys and all! I spent half of 4th, and through 5th and 6th grade here and I "blame" these years for some of seemingly insatiable appetites for life.
I was already writing and drawing but I discovered Enid Blyton! Other worlds around the globe. (I need my own island!) I was already singing and started to teach myself music using a recorder and book, then the school started a "school band" ( 110 piece!!!) and I started clarinet. For the sweetest 6 months of my young life, I had a piano and began to teach myself ( but was denied it in the next move :-( Another reason why I dislike practicality over dreams!).
In 5th class, my classroom was lined in fish tanks! End to end tanks. We went to the rock pools and caught fish, we went on TV doing it ( I fell in, cut my foot open, had to get a tetanus shot and they screened it! ) and we lived amazingly rich lives for primary schoolers! I also joined an external Christian drama group, started acting and singing on a different stage, met more amazing people...some that became significant along my path and some who are once again part of my life ( Thanks Facebook!)
But 6th class really stuffed me as far as living the normal 9-5 and walking the common road-if I wasn't already!
In Yr 6, my class were given a house for a classroom! yes, a HOUSE! It was at the back of the school property and we loved it! We were not taught in the usual way but given a quota of work to get done. Once completed, we were free to cook in the kitchen, play on the trampoline, read in our own personal library, do creative projects, learn dances, make plays, be active outside. We even had a dog! We could do the work anywhere and anyhow we wanted.
Now, if you had gone to school like this, how would you be today?? Paul A Bryant, if you're out there...thanks for being the amazing teacher ( out of Newcastle Uni) who implemented this! I can still picture him SO clearly!
I loved school and had always excelled. It was "my space". It had become my emotional anchor. But, in this set up, I flourished. I had everything done and record time and was totally free to play with everything else my heart desired.
Now if my life to that point hadn't set me up and sealed me for the life of the New Rich, as Timothy Ferriss calls it, grade 6 sure did! I was a "gonner". Coming from a long line of artists, musicians, actors, writers and creative dreamers kind of helped too. And my five children look destined to have the same imprint. :-)
So...you may not have had my colourful, intense and sometimes extreme existence but I guarantee you-whether it's a sedentary life of solitude or an adventurous life exploring global communities (or that and everything in between), your life has its own rhythm, rhyme and wonder. Find the best beat for your step. Let the experiences of life reveal aspects of what you love and yearn for, whether by their absence or their presence ans start becoming intentional about how you want your life to look.
It's the funniest thing! Now that all my children are grown and living their lives, I have finally come to a place of personal confidence and internal security that I no longer need brick and mortar anchors. In fact, right now, it's the last thing I want. All I see ahead in the immediate future for me is travel-diversity, change, community, arts.
Taking care of that thing called "Making Money" as my weekly quota of work (on my terms) and living the rest of my time FREE! Thank God for the 4 Hour Work Week-Nouveau Riche
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