We can never imagine the work we might make in the future – that’s part of the wonder of all art making – but when we are in the present and can look back, as I can, over 50 years of work, there seems to be a continuous path that unwinds in a way that sometimes seems inevitable.
Can be seen as a bit of a fence sitter (or a dreamer, as the photo shows me looking skywards), as I can often see (or at least consider) all the sides of a decision. Along with an inherent desire to see everyone happy (a fatal flaw I am trying to correct), it is often tough to make a decision, even when I know what I want or what is best.
The view from the back of my Grandparents house at Malua Bay (*). I wrote a little about it here (*).
Spent many a childhood January School Holiday there. It was a long day (10-11 hours) trip from Tamworth to Malua. The three of us would sit in the back seat, with me in the middle to keep the peace.
We could get to the beach (between the two headlands) walking along the cliff line. Also, we could walk down the cliff just to the left of where this photo was taken. This is the view we would get on the way down ..
In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be smiling. And so it will be as if all the stars were smiling, when you look at the sky at night.
The story behind the Star named in Jenny's Memory is here. It is located in the Constellation of Vela in the Southern Sky and she looks over us as we continue our adventures in life.
Jenny - Mutton Bird Island / Coffs Harbour (Sun 02 Jan 2005)
In putting together yesterday's post, I drew on a photo that has Lynn and I sitting together on top of the Lounge in Tamworth. It was taken just before our brother Tim arrived into our lives - he was born in Tamworth in Dec 1963.
In putting together an earlier post about Tim I came across this photo of Lynn and I, at his house in Canberra, on the day after we said goodbye.
Only really made the connection that the two photos put Lynn and I together in a way that I guess Bookend's Tim's Life and our life with him in between.
Nice to have the photos and the memories ..
Lynn and Geoff at Tim's Place - "the day after we said goodbye to Tim" - Griffith / Canberra (Sat 12 Mar 2005)
A Life in between.
Lynn and Geoff - maybe 1963? (but definitely before Tim arrived in Dec 1963) - "Lynn has this photo: one of my earliest memories - sitting on top of the lounge having our photo taken." - Tamworth (picasa)
A Couple of Random Memories: The original Boston version of the song was released in 1976, the year my family moved from Tamworth to Wagga Wagga. Would have been in 4th Form (or Year 10 as it is called now). Just a kid. Remember being very sad to leave Tamworth (we had moved to Tamworth from Goulburn when I was a few weeks short of the age of 2) as it was all I knew (have very few childhood memories before starting school).
Geoff and Lynn - maybe 1963 ? - "Lynn has this photo: one of my earliest memories - sitting on top the lounge having our photo taken." - Tamworth (picasa)
I have always said that while the move was difficult in the initial stages, it was one of best things to happen to me in many ways. It was a quite a formative experience to be separated from everything you had ever known and to have to start all over again. I think it helped me to accept change (particularly when you have no choice - you just have to accept it and make the most of it) and made me more resilent to the impact change can have on you, particular in the early stages of the change (hope that makes sense).
Have been to Boston quite a few times - 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1994. Planning to spend a few days there following Tampa 2011 in August 2011. Been a while, so looking forward to seeing it with another 17 years of life experiences behind me. Had always hoped to run the Boston Marathon which is held on Patriot's Day (3rd Monday of April). I tried to qualify by running the Melbourne Marathon in 1993, but was about 8 mins short of the pre-qualifying time of 3hr 15min (it was a bit easier in those days). Was lucky enough to be in Boston to watch the 1994 Boston Marathon.
You can recognize a Warrior of the Light by the look in his eye. Warriors of the Light are in the world, they form part of the world and they were sent into the world without saddlebags or sandals. They are often cowardly. They do not always act correctly.
Warriors of the Light are wounded by the most foolish things, they worry about trivialities, they believe themselves incapable of growing. Warriors of the Light sometimes believe themselves unworthy of any blessing or miracle.
Warriors of the Light often ask themselves what they are doing here. Often they find their lives meaningless.
That is why they are Warriors of Light. Because they fail. Because they ask questions. Because they keep looking for a meaning. And, in the end, they will find it.
Geoff and Jenny - "Great Ocean Road Road Trip - post Nationals at Nagambie - a burnt throat from an intensive bout of radiation treatment, made it almost impossible for Jenny to eat for 3 weeks, but it would not stop her from smiling .. Jo and I now wear the chain Jenny is wearing - Jo as a bracelet and me as a chain - Jo's 2009 Xmas Present to me." - Point Londsdale - 20 Apr 2006 (picasa)
Jenny, Geoff and Joanne - "thank you" - Thu 26 Mar 2009 - Fitzroy Island
Jenny, Geoff, Joanne - "State vs State - National Champs" - Kawana - Thu 23 Apr 2009 (picasa)
Eugene and Geoff - Premier Open 200m Presentation - "PD's - nine from nine !! - I did not really want this weekend to end as I kind of knew the end was beginning to start (Editors: An End has a Start)." - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2009 (picasa)
Jenny, Joanne, David and Geoff - "Jenny takes a photo of us all just before she heads out to have a 4cm brain tumor removed. She had no fear and looked forward to quickly recovering to resume the treatment of the tumors in her liver." - 6:30am Wed 17 Jun 2009 (picasa)
Geoff by Jenny - "The last photo Jenny ever took - about 1 hour before her heart failed as she ate her lunch (beef stroganoff) - she was revived twice and survived another week in intensive care where her lungs ultimately failed from a massive pulmonary hemorrhage - as Jodie, Jenny's Oncologist, said 'it started with the lungs and ended with the lungs'" - Tue 23 Jun 2009 (picasa)
Geoff - "an early start for the first day of the rest of my life - 'where do you start?'" - Alexandria - 7am Wed 01 Jul 2009 (picasa)
Geoff - post 200m Senior Open Final "letting go" - Racice/Prague 2009 - 28 Aug 2009 (picasa)
Geoff and Joanne - "World Champs - dreams can come true even when you would least expect it!" - Racice/Prague - Sat 29 Aug 2009 (picasa)
Geoff - Mount Kosciuszko (2,228m) - "I had a lightness of step that day - the best I had felt since Jenny's passing 6 months earlier - you can see it in my face - life goes on .." - 7pm Fri 1 Jan 2010 (picasa)
