My latest post on 'The elephant Journal'...
Steep learning curve at the moment!

XN

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/05/i-miss-you-yesterday-tomorrow-forever/

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” ~ Marie Curie 

Could there even be a more beautiful day in Cairns?

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/04/on-nights-like-these/

Afternoon everyone,

It's a beautiful, sunny, warm winters day up here in the Far North of Queensland.

Only 4 weeks left until the Ironman 70.3 in Cairns.

Swimming training on track.

You can also find me on facebook. See the link below.

Cheers

Nicole

https://www.facebook.com/relaxitiswhatitis

This article made the 'Elephant Journal'....yay!

Please open link if you would like to read it. XN



http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/04/on-nights-like-these/

THE ART OF LETTING GO  

Our boy, with his friends of eight years by his side, graduated from Junior School last night.

With excitement in their hearts, they nervously wait with parents and then quickly skedaddle as they locate their brotherhood. Their faces full of the wonders of life, their bodies fidgety in anticipation of this momentous occasion. Their souls, nourished from the close friendships they've made over the years, are now craving a new chapter. It's time to move on.

Together, they've endured a generation.

 A generation of rapid growth and change, they've outgrown their baby faces, lost teeth, learnt to talk without a lisp, tie their shoe laces, ride a bike, read and write, and have opinions of their own.

A generation where bonding with their buddies was all about rough and tumbles and farting competitions. Where retelling the same hilariously stupid joke over and over again always resulted in a cathartic choir of truly genuine A grade belly laughs, and where 'fun' was revelling in the class teachers torment as whoopee cushions and creepy insects were strategically placed on her chair.

They've turned green post annihilating more than their own body weights worth of sweets in one sitting and forced themselves to keep their heavy eyelids open all night on school camp; terrorising each other with ghost stories and sharing defiantly how much they hate girls.

They've run and run and run together until wind and hair became one and the sweat cascaded in torrents down their temples.

They have spent five days a week, for thirty-two weeks of the year, for eight years, developing and nurturing these friendships.

They're not just friendships though are they?

They are a verse in their song;
Characters in their story;
The virgin pieces of their puzzle, that will someday be complete;
Memories solidified, like letters carved in stone.

So their hearts, so full of excitement and joy, will be heavy for a moment, when they realise this chapter of their lives has come to an end. Never to be repeated.

But life's like that though, isn't it?

Forever evolving. People sauntering in, people fading out, all serving a purpose; all playing a part in our journey of life.

 Some walk with us for a while and then part as they discover their own path.
 There are those that take great pleasure in filling our path with obstacles and confusing signage, in desperate need for us to lose our way, and walk 'their' journey.
Others leave but a tiny footprint in the sand, one of pure perfection and endearment, a fleeting visit, but an impression all the same.

-and then there are the keepers.

The ones who lay down a thousand lamps so that we may see;
The ones whose fingertips are laser beams, showering infinite rays of colour over our journey;
The ones who blow the cool breeze our way when we swelter;
The ones who stand back when we need to run;
The ones who hold our hands when the path becomes rocky;
The ones who carry us when we are bleeding;
The ones whose footprints remain; throughout the storm and in the midst of crossing deserts and mountains, beside ours, until the puzzle is complete.

It's true the journey of life inevitably involves change.  Some say it's a gradual process, but it never really feels gradual though does it? Mostly, we choose the comfort of oblivion and then, as if someone has pulled the rug from under our feet, it happens. What happens? Life happens, and we are rapidly propelled into a new age with no warning and no permission slip.

As parents, we hold onto our children with almighty power, keeping them little in our minds. However, as if overnight, they grow; but we choose not to notice don't we? Until the confronting day when we have no choice. No choice, but to let them go a little bit more.

Whether it's starting school for the first time or witnessing them celebrate their last day, moving out of home, or getting married, it keeps happening, and we never learn, and we never get used to it. A small part of us aches, when we realise things will never be the same again.

As our kids celebrate together, and grieve for a few short moments for the loss of their past, us adults, watching in the shadows,  privately practice the art of letting go.

We reflect, and know from experience, that our children will look back in years to come, and remember these young years of happiness and growth. They will remember them as times of innocence, and times of fun.

I guess that's the key though.

The key to letting go, is somehow knowing, that those precious times we once had with our mates, are never really lost; but etched in our memories; treasured in that safe place we can freely revisit;

-and never forgotten.