There's something I need to say

I came across this little flower today
when I stopped to watch some waves for
a bit. I love how something that is
essentially a weed still has such a
beauty to it. 

For those avidly following on my adventure tales this one might seem a out of place. Given that when last I wrote it was only day 58 and all. I promise I will get to sharing it all, just for today I wanted to share the moment.

It is funny the things that one learns about oneself when travelling on the road. And not just oneself either. Much insight can be gained about those travelling with you as well. Though I guess those that are truly astute about their inner being and the people around them may become aware of such things without the need to spend two hundred and twenty eight days moving from one spot to another. 

Yes that’s right today marks the the two hundred and twenty eighth day since we packed up and hit the road. It makes my heart race at great pace to think we actually made it to leaving. In the lead up I did have my doubts. Mr Awesome and I are both well known for being gunnas. You know gunna do this and gunna do that but more often than not nothing actually eventuates. I feared that #ouradventureofalifetime was going to pan out that way. 

Beyond thankful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about the fact that those fears were unfounded. Waking up each day without a worry, care or concern in the world is an amazing feeling and for me it has taken this adventure to be able to do so. I had always thought of myself as a relatively stress free easy going type of soul. With the pressures and expectations of normal life removed I realise now I know what stress free living is all about. And let me tell you it is great, in fact it is better than great.

Mind you to say that I have loved and embraced every moment of the trip would not necessarily true. It has not always been rainbows and flowers. There have been days where the children have managed to reduce me to an endless flow of tears. As children a want to do I might add. However I don't think those times have been nearly as many as if we had of still been at home, doing the same thing that we have always done.

There have still been many a day where I have dreaded the onset of feeding hour. Which I do believe is worsened with all the fresh air and outside time our roadtripping lifestyle blesses us with. The continual rumbling tummies of children seem to have rumbled even more so. However a lack of choices combined with the increased rumbling has lead to emptier plates than ever before.

It saddens me to think that this lifestyle has to come to an end. Deep down I did always know that it would I just longed and hoped it would be so much later rather than sooner. As it turns out it is actually the other way.

According to our grand master plan we should still have another hundred and thirty seven days on the road. Sadly that will not be the case. 

It literally pains my heart to say that our journey will end in about twenty three days. Give or take a few. In so many ways it makes me feel like some type of failure. Which while deep down I know is ridiculous I still can’t help but feel it.

As always though, all is not lost.

For as much as #ouradventureofalifetime is temporarily being put on hold a new exciting chapter in our lives is getting ready to begin. You see when the end of the month arrives and our travelling days end we will not be pulling up stumps in sunny Darwin. Instead we are going to be in Bunbury, experiencing winter and all that comes with starting life a fresh in a new place. Which in so many ways is just a little exciting.

Things I Know About Perspective

 If you were hanging round this neck of the woods on Tuesday you would have read something already about the notion of perspective. It followed on from my very first post of the year where I welcomed the start of 2014 and pondered over the possibility of selecting a word to guide me through the year.

Even now, as I type this, I am not really sure how perspective really fits as a word of the year type word but at this point it is all I have got so I am running with it.

There is something about it (perspective) that just keeps floating around the inside of my brain telling me to keep it at the forefront of my mind. Not being one who likes to ignore the rather random and nonsensical thoughts that wander between my ears from time to time I am trying to explore this whole perspective thing a bit further.

Perspective - it's all about how you look at it

original images by raZna

I know that perspective is the way that you see things.

I know that your perspective depends on who you are and what you have been through.

I know that my perspective may be different to yours and vice versa.

I know that perspective changes with both time and experience.

I know that stopping to consider the perspective of others is an important human trait.

I know that seeing someone else's perspective is not always easy.

I know that even when we try and consider someone else's perspective unless they tell us what their perspective is we will never really know for sure.

I know that sometimes we may never understand someone else's perspective, but we should always try.

I know that it is our perspective that helps to shape our life and the way it is lived.

I know that our perspective is our choice.

I know that I am linking  up the The Miss Cinders

Perspective.

With the new year well and truly here now, most people have got their inspirational and motivational post for the year out. You know the one where they go on about all the wonderful things that they hope to accomplish and all that they hope to be the whole year through and all that blah blah blah?

Of course we all know by now that I am not like most people. In fact I wonder if most people really are like most people? You know on account of all the differences that we all have, but already I am getting off track.

Come the first of January I tried to be like most people and sat down to write a post about the wonders of the new year and all that it would hold. Really all I did was welcome 2014 and whinge about not having enough money or being able to get a dream job. Go me.

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." Perspective defines how you see the world, and the decisions you make in response to situations which may arise.
Image found here

I know at the end of the post I hinted about maybe having the word perspective as my word of the year. An idea that I have toyed with for nearly a week now. So much so that I have even named this post (well at least tentatively while I try and get it written) with the notion of it being about perspective.

Yet something doesn't quite feel right about it. And by something I mean, actually I have no idea exactly what I mean. Which quite frankly is driving me bonkers because for the most part I am certain I am on to something (provided of course I work out what that something is)

Screen shot taken from here

Now I know that there are few sureties in this crazy old world of ours but one thing that is relatively common is the fact that we all have varying perspectives. That is not to say similar perspectives aren't shared amongst people, because they are, but to me it is the differences that need greater consideration, acknowledgement and acceptance. Which I think for me is what I want to focus on this year.

The way other people look at the world at large. Their perspective. The way they see things differently from myself. While it might just be some fleeting half brained idea, the notion that there is much to be learned from our differences keeps bouncing around my pretty little head.

My list of faults is long and tedious. I am a work in progress. As much as I am full of awesome (particularly in my own lunch box) there are some fundamental changes to my being that need to be made I want make. Things like my lack of motivation or laziness, the line between the two is thin and blurred. I need to find new ways to look at things to encourage myself to just get them done. And by things in this instance I mean boring household tasks that often feel like they suck the life force out of me.

Post by Kate Says Stuff.

To me this is the essence of perspective and why being able to see the perspective of others has it's advantages.

In this case I can see both perspectives. Yes I too show my family I love them with cuddles and time spent together rather than doing the laundry. However there is no denying that the laundry will always need doing. In fact at the end of each and every day there will be laundry patiently waiting to be seen to.

So when I have no choice but to get on with tackling Mount Washmore or Mount Foldmenow, I gently remind myself that I will do so with a happy heart and not begrudgingly because I love my family and they love clean clothes. Well I assume they do, I know I do.

Chores, whether we like it or not must be done. We expect our children to just get on with them without constant complaining and I am starting to realise that I must as well. Especially if I am going to assign myself to the whole be who you want your children to be ideology. At the end of the day it all boils down to how you look at things and your perspective.

Originally this post was called Perspective - Don't only think of yours. I had intended (hoped?) that it would be a post about the beauty of putting yourself in someone else's shoes, looking through their eyes and trying to see things from their perspective. By doing so I believe that you will open yourself up to a world of new possibilities that you may not have been able to see before. Some of which will give you a better understanding of those around you. Obviously though that is not quite how it turned out.

Mind you I am just glad this is now out, it was kinda blocking me in many ways. I am sure though that there will be another post or two about the importance of perspective for me this year.

Joining in with IBOT with Essentially Jess