Celebrating Life

Ask yourself this; 'Are you a human being having a spiritual experience, or a spiritual being having a human experience?'

This is a common question for those of the Buddhist faith or posed by people who are on a spiritual path.

It comes to my mind frequently and gives pause for reflection. As I sit here at work, at a time when I should be preparing my quality improvement workplan for the responsible gambling fund as part of our quality management system, I am distracted by these thoughts prompting this blog. I am often distracted or reflective at work these past weeks as I think back on my journey with Lifeline and where and what I have learned and how I have grown and what I am taking from this work.

For those of you who are not already aware, I have been offered and have accepted a position with the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. I will tell you about this new and exciting page in my life at another time. But for now, suffice to say that I am trying to wind things up and close off projects which I have currently open and prepare my departure and hand-over. Which, as you can expect, means that I have been reflective on this experience for some time.

I have been also thinking about my own spiritual journey and some significant things that have happened to me in the last few years. Really, dealing with the mystery of life and the ambiguity and the confusion of trying to get some understanding of why life, what is it all about, and why am I here. Having had these 3 1/2 years with Lifeline has created a strong and meaningful connection with my work and with me, as Jen.

A couple of years ago something very significant happened to me, a change in my thinking, a change in my philosophy, something that turned everything around for me. I was reading Stephen Covey's book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. On one of the pages, I mentally underlined and then I circled a sentence, a quotation, and I thought, "This is interesting."

It was almost a lost piece. I went back to it, and I went back to it, and I went back to it. And, finally I absorbed it; I took it in, and it changed everything. And it helped connect all of the experiences I have just alluded to. It was a statement by Teilhard de Chardin, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but we are spiritual beings having a human experience," and once that idea penetrated into my consciousness, I realised that life was really quite different from what I had thought it to be.

But I am not a human being having a spiritual journey, but I really am first and foremost, as are all other people, spiritual beings, who for whatever reason are given the experience of human existence.

With this corollary as an accepted given, it is incredible how the peace and joyousness of life is laid at your feet.

For example, when you can find things to be grateful for in your everyday life a state of peacefulness and contentment is easier to be accomplished. Everyday before I get out of bed I ask myself, "What am I grateful for in my life today?". If I have a hard time answering this question I ask, "What could I be grateful for in my life right now?" If you are willing to give yourself permission, you can listen to your heart without judgement, without hesitation and the answer becomes clear.

Which is why I often will say that I celebrate our small victories.

One such small victory for me has been learning to practice forgiveness. I have learned that as long as we harbour any anger or resentment towards another we will not be at peace. I am certain that there are many thousands and millions of people out there for whom this is a given and they have the inherent ability to do this and experience joy in their life without deliberation. For me, this has been a learned response.

Silently bless that person or situation and release the anger and resentment you have. Do this as often as it takes to feel a sense of peace over the situation. When we learn to forgive our lives become more happy and less stressful.

Further again, the journey that I have been on with Lifeline has led me to begin to eliminate fear from my life- I practice living and enjoying the present moment. I have learned that when we live in the present moment fear cannot reside in our thoughts because fear is concern over what might happen in the future. When you begin to feel fear that is because you are putting your attention on an event that has not happened. When this happens I have begun to learn to bring myself back to the present.

Lifeline, then has taught me many things. You have the power to reinvent yourself.

The difficulty lies in the objectivity and honesty you need about a very subjective topic– yourself. You’re fairly objective about improving or upgrading things, like your car, or your stereo, or your golf clubs. Reinventing yourself requires a similar objective assessment of the most important thing of all. Your life. Buying a hybrid car, or a cutting-edge computer or communication system, or changing investment choices, are often unconscious substitutes for the inner signals urging you to change something about your life. It just seems easier to do something in the outer world.

I have learned that when I'm aware of inner messages about my life, there’s a far bigger pay-off than any worldly thing or activity can return. You increase your options by being aware of the reasons you’re choosing what you do, but more importantly, you are able to distinguish between a moment of pleasure and a moment of quantum change. Reinventing yourself, is something that Lifeline has enabled me to be open to. Purely by giving myself permission to do these things and being open to experience them fully.

I have, then, a lot to be grateful for. And my involvement with Lifeline has been that catalyst.

So, dear bloggers, thank you for the opportunity to express these reflections as now I feel as though I may continue with the work at hand; and get this workplan completed!

Keep sparkling!

Just another week

Sunday:
Scott and I shot down to Sydney to go to the 4WD Show in Penrith. I will admit that I was surprised to see that it was local NSW 4WD clubs congregated in a footy oval with posters and photos of their trips and activities to try to entice new members.

We thought it would be camping gear, 4WD displays, demonstrations with rock climbing and suspension thingy. (Clearly this was for SQ benefit!) So we were a bit disappointed. It was nice to have a day together though and we left the 4WD Mystery a little downhearted. I will say, though, when you are a serious 4WD person, you must have BIG tyres! (tires for those in the northern hemi) I am glad we are not bushwhackers of that description as I don't know how on Earth we would ever afford to live! The bushwahacking we do is pretty tame and we save the rock climbing for us and not for the Prado!

Following the disappointment, we decided to make our own 4WD show and went to Camping World. We had so much fun with all the gadgies and gear in this MASSIVE place. I think the shop attendants thought we were a little mad and that one of us was on a good-behaviour-release day from some little country institution and the other one was taking care of the mad hatter. The trouble was, it was difficult to work out who was the mad hatter....

We decided that this shop was a great place for our entire family who have difficulty trying to buy gifts for us because we don't need anything and cannot express a desire or wish to tell them what to get. This shop has a range of dollar value items and so would meet anyone's budget and we loved ALL of it. You can't go wrong. It was a place made especially for us. We decided that we were going to 'get' a you-beaut single cot which can also adjust to a chair (how flash!) because I always end of getting pushed or bounced off the mattress that we use. So we tried the other camp bed we have and I don't like it- it is basically foam covered in vinyl. And as I mentioned, the blow up job just doesn't cut it- I get bounced to Kingdom-Come. So these beds were flash and we loved them.

Second on the MUST HAVE list was this ripper of a camp kitchen! (Seeing as I now live in Australia I must pronounce it, "Rippah!") We presently use a folding table to place our stove and wash pan on and use it as a preparation bench. The trouble is that it is too low (being a table) even for a shortie like me. So we come home with crook backs. Seeing this camp kitchen was like some sort of religious experience where the sky opened up and rays of wondrous light shone down. (I actually heard the choirs of angels sing- or maybe that was Scotty gasping in reverence) It is actually next on our list to pick up as it is only $300 and folds away into the size of our present folding table, just a bit (5cm) thicker. (the camp kitchen, is thicker, not us)

Next we found these snazzy picnic table and bench units which also fold away.

When I first met Scott and he and I went camping and we were planning our menu and equipment list, I scoffed at him (numerous times) with such phrases like, "That is not camping!' or "You call that camping!" or even better, "You big girl." Due to the sophistication of his camping gear. I kept saying how my mum would be embarrassed and ashamed of me to see me 'camping' with such luxury. Now, after 2 years of expeditions and treks into the wild NSW bush, I am starting to get the sense that
I have slowly warmed up to the luxurious camping style of camping with Scotty. I mean, MATTRESSES, CAMP KITCHENS AND PICNIC TABLES! Yeah right. I mean, the kids have their own bedroom in our TENT!

Anyhooser, this shop had the lot and it was fun to play and find new gadgies. As my Uncle Dave would say, "What they won't prevent". I am reminded of the Harry Potter book (I think it was Goblet of Fire) when Harry looked at the outside of the Weasley's tent thinking it looked about right, then walked in to find it had lazy boy recliners and lamps and even a pet cat inside. I mean, honestly, do you really need a satelite radio, a satelite navigator and a 110 litre fridge to head out for an overnight stay in the local state forest??

I am trying to add photos of the gear we found but I don't think it is working so here is the website:
http://www.campingworld.com.au/site/products.php

We happened back to Bathurst by about 4pm as happy little vegemites. Content to day dream on the 2hr drive back home to the kids who Scott would not let us take for a drive. We have mapped out our next adventure for the June long weekend (next weekend) which is the Queen's birthday. I won't go into how it is 24 May in Newfoundland and 11 June in Australia. I mean, I know we are behind here and all, but that is a bit ridiculous.

Monday:
I slept for much of the day and read and worked. Ho-hum.

Tuesday:
Work and telephone counselling training. I am teaching the Lifeline Counselling Course here in Bathurst and it is fascinating. I have a group of wonderful and kind and compassionate people who want to be crisis counsellors for the telephone counselling service as volunteers. What angels. I am including here the new CSA on youtube for Lifeline for your viewing pleasure.

OK I am having trouble adding photos and video- again. Here are the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFQ WQCpjCI&feature=related
Called Volunteering for A Difference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MisHmgz4Vo&NR=1
Which is a Missy Higgins piece for Lifeline for those people living in drought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= dUJCIGtD71
Called the Human Race


Wednesday:
Work and Board meeting- It was a long day. Shall I say, I was BORED?

Thursday:
Work and grocery shopping and clarinet practice with Bella. How much fun has life been playing clarinet with Bella? I love it. It is so wonderful and she is a gorgeous child. She plays in her school and wanted someone else to practice with so 1 night a week we play for an hour. It is great!

Friday:
Work and GAME NIGHT
Game night this week saw Steve and Elya, Andrew and Kerry join Scott and Jen for 2 hours of bluffing hilarity with Balderdash followed by 2 hours of Smart Ass. It was great. We ate and ate and ate and everyone sat at the dining room table had a kid on their lap and a glass in their hand and a smile on their face- what more could you want with life?

This weekend:
This weekend sees Jen facilitating an ASIST workshop at work. It is wonderful and great and I love it, but the timing stinks. I had reserved this weekend to catch up on some work so I could start cluing things up because I HAVE A NEW JOB AND WILL BE LEAVING ON 20 JUNE!!! I have a heap to do before 20 June as you can imagine and now I have lost 2 precious days. Ah well, it will get done I suppose.

On that enigmatic note, because I waxed and waned for so long on the camping gear, I am now going to be late for ASIST this (Sunday) morning and I had better scaddle!

love to everyone!

Small world, small wonders, and small miracles

Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person he or she knows and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people he or she knows, then everyone is an average of six "steps" away from each person on Earth.

People frequently comment on how small the world is (and that it is getting smaller with more improved communication technology and transportation), and it seems to me that this has never been more true. I suppose as I started to consider this blogger-thing and that I would eventually come to create one to share, that my thoughts turned once more to how convenient communication has become.

Ironically, as I started the day today, I rang my cousin Mandy, who, as most of you are aware, has been my other sister. There are four such women in my life whom I have been blessed to know and are kindred. Les and Mandy are direct relations and we were raised pretty much as sisters would be and I come to affectionately refer to them as such. Two other remarkable women who have come into my life are Juanita (who I spoke about before as being inspirational in my first kick at the blogger-can) and Kerry (pictured somewhere on this page). It is remarkable how similar these women are. I am the most fortunate girl I know. But that is not what I wanted to talk about today, I will save this for another day as it is another good story.

No, today, I was again reminded of how small the world truly is. To pick up from where I digressed................... ironically, I was speaking with Mandy this morning and was hearing her news and sharing with her some recent experiences (hers and my own). Her story was about this person she has met and how we all knew one another in different ways and yet whom she met by fate (and to my mind good fortune).

Any-hooser, after finishing the call, (which I had to end before I was really finished discussing, which is probably why I am writing about it now) I was tearing around Bathurst doing Saturday odds and ends thinking about this "How small the world is" situation. Which of course then led to a reflection on the 6 degrees of separation theory.

And here is where we can then cue the "do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do" spooky music from that movie that I always forget because I never saw because I was too scared but always know by the theme music. You know the one I mean. Back to my story, this is where it gets really good and ties the whole theory together nicely with an illustration: I was thinking about the 6 degrees of separation situation and then recalled that the earliest articulation of six degrees of separation was by Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi in his Nobel Prize speech. And I thought, "FAR OUT!"

Because for all of you out there to whom I bore silly with Newfoundlandia (in this case, all of you) would know; Marconi sent his first transatlanic wiresless signal in 1901 which was received at Signal Hill in none other than St. John's NL! Which for lack of a better description, I use as my hometown. What I mean by this is that I say that I am from a regional community outside of the capital of the Tasmania of Canada. In this way, Australians can gauge the province I am so proud of.

It is an island which is the most easterly point of Canada in the north atlantic, which is heavily forested, absolutely beautiful, populated by hospitable and friendly people, and collectively, are the butt of all jokes in Canada. (Hence the Tasmania of Canada allegory I choose to employ).

It seemed to me a very good point of discussion.

However, this then led to other recent events in our family. And may I at this point, please give Jo my best wishes. She has been in my heart and in the fore of my mind since receiving an email from mum on Thursday. I can not imagine what you are going through, but know that my heart is with you.

As I was about to say, this small world concept was really sticking in my mind and was illustrated again by some events in my biological family. (Another story for another time, but one which will really make you feel good, so if you ever need a warm hug, let me know, I have a great story for you)

Connie and Craig (my cousins who are brother and sister) both graduated from their university and career training this week. Both of them, in different parts of Canada, within the same week, completed studies. And I was sharing their experience, receiving photos- which always makes me happy, so if you ever need or wish to make me feel good- a photo of family will do the trick.

I found myself remarking regularly at the beauty of this or that photo, and how beautiful the people were (what they mean to me). And I started to realise that perhaps some may begin to think that I employ the word willy-nilly and thereby dilute it's potency.

This could be further from the truth.

The subjective experience of "beauty" often involves the interpretation of some entity as being in balance and harmony with nature, which may lead to feelings of attraction and emotional well-being.

According to Wikipedia, however, in its most profound sense, beauty may engender a salient experience of positive reflection about the meaning of one's own existence. An "object of beauty" is anything that reveals or resonates with personal meaning.

It is for this reason which I have prattled on so long, because I found myself once again wanting to exclaim how beautiful this photo was. And I realised that I was really wanting to say how beautiful this photo made me feel and to cherish the personal meaning which this relationship has and is epitomised by this one fabulous image. It is simply, beautiful.

People must feel that I overuse this word, but, quite simply, it is truly a beautiful thing I am looking at. (a photo of people who are dear to me)

This feeling I have come to associate with joy and contentment, and also, a feeling of fullness. For which I am grateful, as life feels good- I am blessed.

Knowing how blessed I am and how joyous this feeling is, is also compounded by my feeling of belonging and connectedness- which continues to grow. Which then in turn, reiterates the contentment- you see where I am going here.

I guess, my prevailing thought is that the modern world was 'shrinking' due to this ever-increasing connectedness of human beings. Despite great physical distances between the globe's individuals, the growing density of human networks made the actual social distance far smaller.

So, the question I am left with is; my thinking of how small the world is, is this a function of 6 degrees of separation or rather from my increased feeling of connectedness?

Either way....... it is beautiful!

Jen's Journal- the Lost Newf

Hi guys

I have decided to join the Gen “y”ers out there and create a blog spot.

There are one of two reactions to this, I am thinking:

1. Shock-Horror!
2. What the heck is Gen “y”???

For those of you opening door number 1; pick your jaws off the floor. For those of you choosing door number 2;

It will be another way to stay in touch as I will diarise the happenings for Scott and I. I am starting to create the settings and am at the stage where I place email addresses for notification of updates and the darn thing will allow 10 addresses only and I want 36.

So I sent you all a link to the site and if it is of interest to you to check periodically, go for it. I guess it is something that really only a mum will be interested in and so perhaps I can thank my dear mumsy in advance for clicking- but for me, I know even this may be a stretch because she doesn’t facebook. So here is a news flash- it is SOOO much easier for you than facebook, mum, because it is a website with a journal entry in it.

You may think, well, why doesn’t she just email?

I have tried email, I have tried facebook, I try text messaging and of course telephoning, I am yet to try Skype, and although nothing beats a good chinwag like the real deal with face time, in person, I just don’t have that much super-powers as yet. I am working on them! I will try zipping myself through your little broadband cable or phone line and appear presto-magic on your screen in letters and photos and videos.

So, I am going to give this a go.

It might work.

And, then again, you may decide that my little diary is not really of any interest or value anyway.

However, I have been inspired by TA and Juanita who are selfless in their weekly writing. It has been quite enjoyable for me, to hear their news and share their stories and I thought perhaps I would jump on the band wagon as well.

*Baaaaaaa*

It is my aim to provide a weekly update for people who are hangin' out for news from Jen and Scott. Even in writing this, I think, how egotistical of us! However, I have really come to enjoy Juanita's blogs and TA's notes and they have prompted me to take a big breath and plunge into the next generation of communication.

Interestingly, I am facilitating the telephone counselling training course again this year at Lifeline, which as you would think, is largely around communicating well. I have lost count of the times when I have said to the participants that we (our community, we as a society, we as individuals, we as family- take your pick!) really do communicate poorly with one another. We have lost that precious art form.

So, I am going to be proactive and take the initiative. Some of you out there will likely be thinking- Ah! Cheeky Bugger that you are, Jen- you are not really communicating because of the apparent one-sided direction. That is why I have chosen this forum, the blog spot. You may choose to read and make responses and add a comment.

So as the weeks unfold, and I learn how this new fangled technology works and I start to develop a sense of how I want the blog to look, what it will contain, and all of those mundane things with starting something new, please have some patience with me as I stumble and find my way.

Also, know that this is a genuine attempt from me to say, I care about you. I am thinking about you. And I want to share with you what is happening and what I am thinking and doing.

Thanks, for the support. And now I am off to try to work out what is going to happen next when I press this button right here which says "Preview". Or maybe, I press "Save Now". hmmmm. There is also a "Publish Post" button. Oh! I also see another one.... hmmm. stay tuned!