In 2002 I separated from my first husband, in Sydney. It was pretty, challenging but ended up being as close to amicable as these things can be. We had outgrown each other, and wanted different things in our lives. I caught the ferry to Manly and sat on the beach remembering what my nana and grandma had both said to me nearly six years earlier when I left for my OE.
Have no regrets in life my love, either do it or don’t!
Own the choices you make and give those choices 100% and you will go far.
Within a few months I was dating again, well before tinder and Internet dating and it scared the shit out of me! But it took me to the most wonderful places too. Dinners, picnics, theatre, opera, lunches, brunches and tours of new cities! There were plenty of rouges yet the flip side was I had the most fascinating and interesting conversations. One Melbourne Cup day I had hosted a luncheon at one of Sydney’s finest hotels. We were all dressed up, including a beautiful hat I had made for me by a local Miliner. My horse Brew won and while cashing in my ticket I met I delightful Australian boy. Romance blossomed , and during a Sunday afternoon movie “brave heart” he paused the film when Mel Gibson says “everybody dies but not everybody lives”.
He said that was what I did – despite knowing I would eventually die, until then I was living every minute!
I explained about my grandmothers advice. Eventually his work took him overseas and we parted ways, but the lesson he (well Mel Gibson) taught me remain in my coping strategy vault.
This past few years has been extremely tough as Riwai and I have seen many loved ones pass on, many of our friends and family have also seen loved ones pass. Death although enevitable is heartbreaking. Everyone copes in different ways, and acknowledging those different ways is healing.
Everyone of us is getting older, you are three minutes older since you started reading this!
So tell your loved ones what they mean to you while they can hear you. Hug, smile, talk and forgive. Do what is right in your heart, live with no regrets, own the choices you make and get out there and LIVE.
Much love and hugs to you all x