Canberra is the city of flags and fountains
both breeze-built, a sometime snapping flapping fluttered ragged edge
Speaking the same state secrets as the sly hiss in last season's leaves
Walking by the lake in Canberra
Canberra is the city of flags and fountains
both breeze-built, a sometime snapping flapping fluttered ragged edge
Speaking the same state secrets as the sly hiss in last season's leaves
Friendship
It comes in many flavors
a newly-met colleague shares information, a story, a laugh, encouragement
a former workmate gets in touch just to catch up
a brother calls
a former boss continues to mentor and challenge
a whole cheer squad of crafty folks challenge and critique
a stranger offers kindly help
a business associate opens their home, shares their passion
an accidental travel companion enlivens a dull journey
an old acquaintance supports my cause
@[anyone] shares advice
a family invite me to be part of raising their children
... and many more
There's a lot of friendship around. Cheers, pals!
a newly-met colleague shares information, a story, a laugh, encouragement
a former workmate gets in touch just to catch up
a brother calls
a former boss continues to mentor and challenge
a whole cheer squad of crafty folks challenge and critique
a stranger offers kindly help
a business associate opens their home, shares their passion
an accidental travel companion enlivens a dull journey
an old acquaintance supports my cause
@[anyone] shares advice
a family invite me to be part of raising their children
... and many more
There's a lot of friendship around. Cheers, pals!
Saying "Yes!"
This week I am dusting off and reusing a strategy that has served me well in the past.
It's the YES model. Here's why:
My permanent, serious mental health condition has had a lot of influence on my life. I take it seriously, and have learned a lot about managing my condition and reducing its impact on me, and on the people around me. This is very good, but it's all too easy for diligence in self-care to become fear-driven obsessiveness. I find myself in a pattern of conscientiously saying "No" to risks and challenges.
It sounds responsible, but when overdone becomes a way of hiding from the world, of opting out from development and accountability. Living small.
The YES model means saying YES! to every opportunity that comes my way. Taking risks, trying things out, committing to new actions. It also means deliberately assessing new things first in the light of their benefits (maybe look at risks later) and in general having a lot more fun.
It sounds a little scary, but so far I have not been offered anything that would do me any actual harm. Most things don't. Here are a few I can share:
It's the YES model. Here's why:
My permanent, serious mental health condition has had a lot of influence on my life. I take it seriously, and have learned a lot about managing my condition and reducing its impact on me, and on the people around me. This is very good, but it's all too easy for diligence in self-care to become fear-driven obsessiveness. I find myself in a pattern of conscientiously saying "No" to risks and challenges.
It sounds responsible, but when overdone becomes a way of hiding from the world, of opting out from development and accountability. Living small.
The YES model means saying YES! to every opportunity that comes my way. Taking risks, trying things out, committing to new actions. It also means deliberately assessing new things first in the light of their benefits (maybe look at risks later) and in general having a lot more fun.
It sounds a little scary, but so far I have not been offered anything that would do me any actual harm. Most things don't. Here are a few I can share:
- swapped a seat with a stranger on a plane (karma points)
- made a date with a stranger (great conversation)
- tasted something extremely spicy (yum!)
- tasted something weird of unknown composition (so-so but now I know)
- went to a sports game in a foreign city (fun)
- shared a cigarette with a new colleague (1 won't kill me)
- tasted wine (negotiated self-imposed alcohol ban)
Lessons of distance and duration
You can go a long way to get to home truths
One of the great things about travel is its ability to reveal new information - about the destination, the process, the people. In the slightly uncertain number of hours since I left Auckland on Wednesday, June 25th, I've come 9,841miles (16,481 km) and revealed at least three things about myself:
One of the great things about travel is its ability to reveal new information - about the destination, the process, the people. In the slightly uncertain number of hours since I left Auckland on Wednesday, June 25th, I've come 9,841miles (16,481 km) and revealed at least three things about myself:
Revelation 1: I am much calmer and more tolerant than expected - where the object is a stranger, officialese, weather, geography, animals and even children. This is happy discovery
Revelation 2: the reverse applies to close associates, where I find myself to be excessively judgemental. and irritable. This is not so happy, and I need to work on it. Still cogitating on the approach. Suggestions welcome! Especially from associates.
Revelation 3: probably a cause of R2 above, my management of my Bipolar II disorder is not quite as effective as I would like. Or perhaps the travel experience has specific challenges. It's been rather unpleasant at times. However, I have managed it well enough to not be disabled, which is pleasing. Maybe I was a little overconfident.
Maybe these are not news to you, dear reader, but revelations to the humble writer.
What have you learned while traveling? How have your travel experiences revealed you to yourself?
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