Australian Pride

Today is Australia Day. It's a day which is all-encompassing and dividing. It is a day of mateship and of racial tension. The duality of this day is a microcosm of Australia as a nation. On the surface, there is a welcome that speaks of friendly locals, fun things to do, cute animals and stunning landscapes. Underneath, however, there is a decidedly nasty current of casual racism.

But I am not going to write about that. I am not sweeping it under the rug, it is simply not something that I could do justice to in a single piece, in a single sitting. What I am going to write about is that which makes me proud to be an Australian and for which all Australians should be proud, regardless of their roots.

I am proud of my democratic right to voice an opinion. It may not be the same opinion as yours. It may not be the same as my neighbours, or your neighbours, or the local shop keepers, or the farmer in the bush, or the yuppie in the beachside café. My opinion is just as valid as anyone elses and I have the right to voice my opinion, excepting slanderous, defamatory or libellous utterances.

I am proud of the police service which enable me to live in relative safety. I can walk down the street without fear. I trust in the emergency services should I find myself in difficulties. I am proud of their efforts in keeping me safe, in their efforts as part of peace keeping forces around the world, and in their efforts to maintain law and order.

I am proud of our education system in which I could, if I wanted it badly enough and worked hard enough, be anything that took my fancy. Our public and private school provide an education which would be the envy of many nations around the world, our universities are held in high esteem. No matter what profession you might choose to pursue, there are opportunities to do so.

I am proud of the immigrants that mean I can eat food from every nation in the world without having to leave the city that I love. I can thank those who left their homelands to make new homes in my homeland for the variety of cuisines in the local shops, from Chinese to Mexican, Italian to Thai, African to Greek. There is no sense of losing my identity because of their arrival, in fact, it enriches my life.

I am proud of my sporting achievements and the achievements of my fellow countrymen. Whether it is in their suburban club team or representing their country, there is much to be proud of in Australian sport. Their is a perception of Australia as a nation obsessed with sport and this is true to a certain extent. It brings us together like little else in the world. The love of a particular sport can bring together those of different backgrounds and cultures. For the majority of Australians, the friendly rivalry of sport is something which forges bonds rather than creating divides.

I am proud of our acceptance, in literary, musical and artistic terms, of difference and multiculturalism and the lack of censorship in what can be a highly contentious and controversial industry. It doesn't matter if I like a piece, or if I am offended by a piece, the fact that I live in Australia means that I have every right to not like it, or be offended by it, and that it has every right to exist.

I am proud of my country, with its sweeping coasts, its intricate coral reefs, its vast deserts and its dense rainforests. This land which I call home brings me such joy, it inspires me to share it with the world and it envelops me every day. There is nothing in this world quite like home. I may travel around the world, to places on natural beauty, to remote lands, to man made wonders, but I will always come home, to my little place in the sun; and if I go nowhere else in the world, the wonders of the world are in my own backyard for all the world to visit.

But mostly I am proud of my people. Some trace themselves back to the very beginning of this nation, coming here in canoes, living off the land, and telling stories from the dream time. Some trace themselves to the first white settlers in fleets of tall ships, whether convicts, soldiers or free settlers, they built a modern nation in the shadow of their motherland. Some came in leaky boats, fleeing war ravaged nations with little more than the clothes on their backs. And some simply flew, wanting a better life for themselves and their future generations. These are all my people. They are my family, my friends and my neighbours. They are my community and my nation. They are my people and I am proud.

Goodbye 2014 ... Hello 2015

Well, 2014 started off like any other year - hope, expectation, as yet unbroken resolutions - and finishes today with me wondering what the hell happened in this last month. Usually, I finish any year with the feeling that I am happy to be rid of it and bring on the new, as if it will be a fresh start. A new year, I have come to realise, is nothing more than a new day and that if we fail to make fresh start of each new day, then we have learned nothing from the previous day and must repeat it, and repeat it, and repeat it, until we change something in our lives, and that something is usually ourselves.

 

I have to say, there were some pretty good moments this year, mainly centred around my son!

 He was into sports. Whether it was AFL rep teams, Modball Under 13s (at 9 years) or graduating to a new swimming class, the success of our children warms our hearts and makes us puff up with pride.

 

He was brilliant at school. Most parents would brag about their child being in that sports team or topping that particular class. My proudest moments were seeing my child do what he loved, as part of the senior boys dance group and the dance sports group, and being rewarded at the school presentation night for citizenship.

 

I loved that he surrounded himself with friends. At school, in sports, or just hanging out at the beach, there's not much that's better a group of good friends. I love that his friends are all different: different genders, different ages, different personalities.

 

But life this year wasn't just about my son. There had to be a balance of work and home. I love my job. I might not love everything about my job, but the good certainly outweighs the bad. I love that, through work, I got the opportunity to travel through some stunning Australian countryside from Sydney to Cooma to help our centre down there.

 

Work has also allowed me to feel a part of something and to do something for the first time by joining the work team in the Sutherland to the Surf, an 11km "fun run" in our local area. I also had the opportunity to attend the staff recognition awards, where I received my 10 years pin. Though, probably the most enjoyable thing was sharing lunch with the third generation of a magpie family who build their nests in the trees outside our building.

During 2014, I made a point of visiting places that brought me happiness and peace. I crave those places that nourish my mind and my soul. From peaceful gardens to cultural events and museums, I would go to one every day if I could.

The Camellia Gardens are about ten minutes from where I live. It is somewhere I have gone since I was a child and try to go at least once a year. It is a calming influence in my life. It is somewhere I can go and be completely alone, and completely happy about being alone.



 Another place I have always enjoyed is The Chinese Gardens. I don't get here as often as I would like to but when I do, I am always filled with the love for it, its beauty, its simple elegance, and its timelessness. I introduced my son to it this year and I hope I have passed on my love for it to him.

There are some events which come along that capture the imagination. Vivid is a spectacular light show that happens every year in Sydney and it brings out the child in me. My feet and knees hate it as you end up walking around half of Sydney but my mind loves it more!

Another place that captured my curiosity was a bit further from home. In fact, it was in another state. The museum of Melbourne was somewhere I had always wanted to go but had never gotten around to, despite numerous trips to the city. Having some time to kill on a trip this year, I took the opportunity to explore and I wasn't disappointed.

But, no matter far I might travel in any given year, I always return to the place I call home. My little oasis in the madness that is life. If I am down, I can sit watching the rain, if I am happy I bask in the sunshine, if I am angry I can yell at the ocean, and if I feeling inspired I can wander along the coast and be drawn in by its beauty.

I was fortunate enough this year to have three pieces of jewellery come into my possession which all reflect a very important part of me. The sparkles of my soul, given to me by my son; the swan, given to me by a Sydney Swans Cheer Squad member; and the TARDIS, given to me by a colleague and friend.

 



This year was a time for celebration. Easter and Christmas play a large part in our lives and, though our family is not religious and the events hold little significance in that regard to us, we still mark them as an opportunity to spend time together as a family, to enjoy each others company and to share an experience.

 

 

And, though much of the year was filled with all the love and happiness one could ask for, the year came to a close with much sadness. From an event that shocked an entire city to personal grief and pain at injury and illness to my parents, the end of the year was marred by this overwhelming pall of tears. So while 2014 may have been a good year, it is hoped that 2015 will be better and that flowers will not cover the streets of Sydney, tears will not run down the cheeks of my kin and the hearts of those I love and admire will not continue to break.