On How to Get There - Yesterday's Suffering, Today's Inspiration, Tomorrow's Strength

God Still Loves You!!! I Love You, Also - Valletta / Malta (Sat 20 Sep 2014)

How to Get There
By Michael Leunig

Go to the end of the path until you get to the gate.
Go through the gate and head straight out
Towards the horizon
Keep going towards the horizon
Sit down and have a rest every now and again
But keep on going.
Just keep with it.
Keep on going as far as you can
That's how you get there.

.. And that is pretty much what I have done these last 5 years ..

These words have implicitly (I knew of them and their meaning before I even read them for the first time) and explicitly guided me when I was completely lost, and without Purpose and Hope .. "Just keep with it" I would say. And it's a pretty good approach to Life, I would think, given the Situation I found myself ..

At some point along the way you do get "There" - it's not overly obvious that you have arrived, but somehow you know .. just like when you were made aware of how far you had fallen without even noticing.

Now ..

You are strong enough to stand on your own two feet and embrace the world again. You are brave enough to start "letting go", to know there is more to "let go", and more importantly to know that is what Jenny would want of me. To know you have another chance. That what forced you to go "through the gate and head straight out" and where you have been to get "There", has made you a better person - and to know that I should not feel guilty about that. That you have been all over and its been all over you. That you are not a Hopeless case. That you are Awesome. That you are still here for a reason. That you know you still have so much to give. That it was not the End, like you thought, but just the chance for another Beginning.

A chance to show you are resilent. A chance to show you can change, adapt and reinvent yourself. A chance to demonstrate you can think of yourself as a survivor and not a victim of circumstance and Life. A chance to consider that you have been lucky to have shared loved. And through that love, empowered to live life to the full along the path you were destined to walk.

Thank you to everyone that have helped me to get "There" these last 5 years. It has been a remarkable Journey and a few Lessons in Life have been learnt!!! I can’t really believe where I have been. I could write a book about it but at least there is a blog - eljeiffel.blogspot.com.au

This is Life (my Life actually) and I have learnt we need to Live and appreciate it while we can. Jenny showed and gave me this. It was her gift to me ..

Why do I write this now? I write this for me and my timeline. And while it might appear a little self-indulgent, I have no regrets - it is who I have become along the way to "There".

More importantly I write it for others who are or will walk "out through the gate" and search for their "There". It's a choice you make and I know you can do it if you set your heart to it.

I know there is further to go but my outlook is different now.

“There” is always Hope - I am another shining example of this!!

Thanks again.

Yesterday's Suffering, Today's Inspiration, Tomorrow's Strength
Geoff (Wed 25 Feb 2015)

A Journey, A Home - My Legacy to the World - Alexandria (Sun 22 Feb 2015)

La Perouse OC6 Regatta - Pacific Dragons Open Crew (Sat 14 Feb 2015)

View on YouTube

Gav writes:

This is the footage from the race. Look, its perhaps not that interesting and drags on a bit but the music is good. I am sending it as we actually have a shark caught on video (see from 1:41). First time ever for the PDs I think. Stu and I noticed it swim past. Footage of it is not that great, but just as good as most bigfoot clips.

Also, you will find the last 2 minutes very entertaining. I promise.

You can watch it in HD by changing the settings

A great day for our Club.

On Street Photography - Into the Belly of the Beast - Markus Anderson / Rob Norton (Feb 2015)

Into the Belly of the Beast - Markus Anderson / Rob Norton

Aaron Brown on being Inspired in your Street Photography

Take fifteen minutes and rejuvenate yourself by watching this short film. I did and it was more than worth it. At the least, you’ll see some really pretty photography and filmmaking, but I hope you find some inspiration along with it. Maybe you’ll be motivated to explore the belly of the beast in your own city and wait for those moments to make order out of the chaos yourself.

via Into the Belly of the Beast: Rob Norton's Gorgeous Documentary on Australian Photographer Markus Andersen Will Bring out the Street Photographer in You by Aaron Brown.

Trying to find out more about Markus. Surprised I don't more about him. A fantastic video and I learnt a lot from it. I know I think the same way as he does when photographing on the street. Just have to get out there more often.

On Art, Life and Death - Matthew Sleeth /SMH (Tue 17 Feb 2015)

"Found - A Heart" - Diggers Beach / Coffs Harbour (Mon 16 Feb 2015)

Matthew Sleeth on the power and influence of Art in our Life:

Art is partly about changing material into thought, but, for many artists, it is also about changing yourself through the process of making the art and moving past the limitations of your daily circumstances.

via Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan have earned a second chance by Matthew Sleeth.

My heart goes out to Myuran and Andrew and their Families and Friends. Their story of transformation and support is inspiring and it is this that I will take from the pain and suffering we witness and feel in ourselves, as their imminent executions unfold before us:

Very few people ever materially change their lives; I mean really change their lives, not just fiddle around the edges. It's very difficult to do and takes a great deal of courage, support and time. [..] The definition of rehabilitation is becoming a better, changed person and both Myu and Andrew have achieved this through their own courage and the support they have received from their community.

It is hard to know what to say in this time. All I think I can say is thank you Myuran and Andrew, your transformations and strength of character inspires me to be a better person in my own life. May you be blessed.

Pacific Dragons - Long Course Open Crew / Gunnammatta Bay / Cronulla(Sun 01 Feb 2015)

Pacific Dragons Long Course Men - Port Hacking Outrigger Canoe Regatta / Gunnamatta Bay / Cronulla (Sun 01 Feb 2015)