Tag: Daily Post

Without Fear

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At what age did you realize you were not immortal? How did you react to that discovery?

Immortality is a funny thing. I don’t think I ever thought I was immortal, however, when I was young fear was not something I considered before doing anything. I don’t see this as a bad thing either. Before being a teenager, I can clearly remember playing with snakes, jumping of the 10 metre diving platform without any care or training—just for fun and swinging on the swings so high that I nearly went the whole way around. It was a feeling of freedom.

Somewhere in my teenage years fear crept into my life—or maybe it was just an understanding that things can go wrong. This was confirmed in my senior years of high school when I was affected by two fatal car accidents. One involved other school students and the second, a personal family friend. They were all my age. Death suddenly became a reality—not something to focus on, but a reality. This same year, my beloved grandfather also suddenly died while on holidays—unfortunately I never got to tell him that I became a nurse.

Yes, there are a lot of things that can happen—good and bad. But, if you focus on the bad you will never get to experience the good. It is for this reason that I decided years ago to always focus on the positive. Even in difficult situations there is always a silver lining—something to be learnt from it. This is how we grow through pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. Afterall, there are only two guarantees in life—death and taxes. And while my personal goal is to live to be 100 with a great quality of life, if I don’t get to achieve this goal, I want to look back on my life and say with confidence—fear didn’t stop me giving it a go.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/finite-creatures/

 

Gone With The Wind

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You get to spend a day inside your favorite movie. Tell us which one it is — and what happens to you while you’re there.

Growing up I loved Gone With the Wind. Scarlett O’Hara was the first stubborn, manipulative, capable female character, I connected with. She was my role model. Being a child, I didn’t notice her relationship difficulties or three husbands. I only had eyes for the fact that she could do anything she set her mind to and everyone loved her even those who hated her.

This year is 75 years since Gone with The Wind was released. Today, through Daily Prompt, I have the opportunity to become involved in this great movie and see what it teaches me. Coming from Australia I knew little about American history, the setting of this movie. It is a civil war romance and the passion for the cause was something that I had never seen before. This backdrop to the story gives it drama and purpose. Casting the main characters correctly— Scarlett and Rhett—was so important to the director that he held up production until both were available. A secret that did pay off in the end with the film winning 10 Academy Awards including Hattie McDaniel—the first African American to win an Oscar for her role as Mammie.

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Photo Credits: Google

The story theme for me was Scarlett’s determination to do whatever she had to for herself and her family. This was in strong opposition to the role many women played putting others before themselves and not standing up for their rights.

Scarlett-OHara

Photo Credits: Google

Scarlett’s strength was the focus of much controversy, but also admired by others. Unfortunately for Scarlett, she didn’t understand herself well and was guilty of not thinking about the consequences before taking action.

So what have I learnt from my time with Gone With The Wind?

  • Believe in yourself.
  • Do what you have to do, but to be truly successful consider the impact of your actions on others. You may still go ahead anyway—plan for problems.
  • Change is necessary.
  • Don’t judge a book by its cover. Support can come from the anyone at anytime.
  • Ask for what you need.
  • Sometimes you need to wait for the timing to be right. Don’t settle for second best.
  • Freedom is worth fighting for.
  • If you want something done, do it yourself.
  • Don’t give up.
  • Hard work can rebuild your life.

And lastly my favourite quote:

scarlett tomorrow

Photo Credits: Google

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/fourth-wall/

Where are you?

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What’s your earliest memory involving another person? Recreate the scene — from the other person’s perspective.

I spent most of my early life living in the bush. Our home was the mine managers cottage of a working coal mine. We were isolated from the mine itself, so we saw very few people. At home was mum, dad, me (5) and sister (3).

***

My sister was always wandering off. She was the brave one. Or, as some people say, the stupid one. Anyone would think I am the oldest. I have more sense. I know wild animals are dangerous and there are plenty around here:

  • Snakes
  • Dingoes
  • Foxes
  • Brumbies—free roaming feral horses
  • Possums
  • Birds—especially magpies
  • Feral Cats

“Where is you?” I asked.

“Over here, in the long grass with my friend Sam, ” replied Max.

“Who is Sam?”

“Sam snake. Isn’t he beautiful.”

“Max, leave him. Come and play with me.”

“But look how big he is.”

“I don’t like snakes.”

“They won’t hurt you. They just lye in the sun.”

“I don’t think so, they’re scary.”

“His skin is so shiny. I want to touch it.”

“Stop” I yelled. “Mum, she’s playing with the snakes again.”

“Okay, okay. What do you want to play?”

“I want to ride our scooters”

“Go get them and I’ll be over in a minute”

“You better come or I’m telling mum.”

***

There was one concrete path between our house and the outback toilet. This was the only place we could ride. It was wide enough for two small girls to play together and expend some energy. We spent many hours in the early years entertaining ourselves with this and other activities— always waiting and hoping for someone to visit and break the boredom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/reverse-shot/

What About Me?

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Did you know today is Blog Action Day? Join bloggers from around the world and write a post about what inequality means to you. Have you ever encountered it in your daily life?

Inequality is everywhere. If you want to focus on it and not take action, you can find many reason to. But, does it help you grow? Sometimes, realising that life is unfair makes you a stronger person.

My experience of inequality came when I moved to country New South Wales. I was excited. I had never lived in the country—it looked so peaceful and they even had a psychiatric unit. I could work if I wanted to. In the country, few towns have mental health services—something I had never considered before my move.

I loved living in the country when I didn’t work. No traffic. Spending time with the kids and being in my own mum world.  Then, I decided to return to work after 12 month and everything changed. Working in mental health in the country was very different to the city. It was the most negative experience of my life. And, to top it off, the other staff had no real psychiatric experience. Some had worked on the unit for many years, but this unit was not a good example of what psychiatric nursing should be.

Its problem was leadership and direction. There was no NUM (nurse unit manager) and we shared 5 fly-in psychiatrists from Sydney—one for each day of the week—with the community mental health team. This meant they each spent 1/2 day at each site. To me, the patients ruled and this was not conducive to recovery. For the first time in my life—my job and opinion was not respected and in the end, I choose to leave the unit and work supporting the chronic psychiatric patients in the community. This made me whole again—from a work prospective until we moved back to the city.

In hindsight, my experience has opened my eyes to how difficult life is, in country Australia. It gives Shannon Noll’s hit “What about me” new meaning.

“What about me

It isn’t fair

I’ve had enough now

I want my share

Can’t you see

I want to live

You just take more than you give.”

This video was filmed in his home town of Condobolin in western NSW and includes many of the towns people. Like in the song, the answer to inequality is us deciding how we can change it for ourselves. Afterall, we have to be the one who answers our own question—what about me?

http://youtu.be/kqyIwZpr5y0

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/unequal-terms/

Make It Count

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You’ve been given the opportunity to send one message to one person you wouldn’t normally have access to. Who’s the person you choose, and what’s the message?

My message is a life skill and is for everyone. Arguments and disagreements happen regularly. But how do you know when to push your point and when to back off. The answer can be found in five little words.

“Is it worth the argument?”

No. I’m talking about for the sake of pride but what the outcome needs to be. If the answer is “yes, it is,” continue with your argument and make it count. It is however important to keep checks on how your argument is going. Ask yourself regularly, “is it worth the argument?” Because what was once worth the argument at any point may no longer be working. Discussions may have become heated, nasty and overemotional. If left to continue they may begin to have a marked impact on the relationship between the people involved. The argument itself hasn’t changed but discussing it any further at that moment “is not worth it.” Both parties need space to consider and hear what the other person is saying. During this time, stop the argument. Consider a statement that works for you, similar to the following.

“We need to stop now, this is no longer working. No further discussions will be entered into.”

One example of the above situation may be parents/teachers setting boundaries with teenagers about acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour. It may take them years to understand but keeping them safe is definitely worth the argument.

One the other hand, arguing about smaller issues isn’t worth the argument. Does it really matter whether the cup is blue or green when it could be described as either?

Next time you find yourself arguing with someone or even yourself—make it count. Ensure whichever way you go, you are moving forward.

 

 

 http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/make-it-count/