I'll start a video of one of my adventures from 2012 - a bungee jump I did in 2012...You'll understand why I shared this as you continue to read....
Do we take our lives for granted? The journeys we’ve been on, things we’ve seen, places we’ve visited, stories we’ve heard and things we’ve done just are what we’ve done and not worth sharing?
Or are we worried about sharing, like Kal (you'll read about him here) - concern that people aren’t interested...
Talking to my client the other morning, she said she had written down the highlights of her 2017, I had done similar for myself, but I am now going to put together some paper (I have lots of recycled paper to use…) and start to write life highlights, in whatever order and not just the highlights, the low bits too. The reminder of what we’ve been through and come out of the other side and the lesson learnt. It’s not going to be in depth, just one liners (instagram style!!), a reminder for me about my life, and stories I have to share….
If any one wants some of the paper (in Singapore) send me a message and I’ll get some to you - my gift to you.
My take home of the weekend I've written about below, is to never under estimate what you’ve experienced in life, how it can have an impact unknown and to listen to others when they tell their stories you’ll be amazed at what you find out and what you are reminded of about your own life.…
Life is one big adventure....
As I sit to write this I feel very grateful for the weekend I had and the people I spent time with. I had an adventure of my own listening to stories of others’ lives, hearing about places I’ve never been and maybe won’t (or maybe I will.....) and learning of races and people that I would never have come into my radar… Oh and hearing a language that is almost non-existent here in Singapore!
We all have stories, and they don’t need to be huge trips to unseen lands, wandering through the wilderness, our lives are our stories and all experiences are lessons to be told and shared.
The older I’m getting the more I appreciate the older generations who have been through some of the biggest changes in innovation, technology, the way we live and what is now accessible to us all. Things we take for granted. Hell even I remember when we got a cordless phone at home, we had to stay within a certain range of the base but still we could walk about!!!... Now hand phones are a thing most of us in the developed world have as if they are part of our anatomy.
We can go to places and see things that once we could only see in the pages of books. I appreciate we may not all be going on these adventures, which is why it is so awesome to know people who have. They inspire me to step outside my comfort zone, consider possibilities and go for things I might otherwise not...
I’d like to share with you here 3 stories from the last few days..
Helping Joy
My adventure was volunteering with Helping Joy (link above) - a group who go to HDBs delivering food and helping the elderly to keep their places keen. It was an eye opener for me to see how others live and to see the response they have when we showed up!
One lady stole my heart, I have no idea what she was talking about - she was speaking an old dialect that hardly exists now. but it was just translatable by the others. There was an energy about her and a glint in her eye that I knew she had had stories through her life. I could imagine how stunning she was and possibly not a woman to be messed with!
She is 97 (she thinks) - she held up her fingers to say so. She walked along with a cane, with typical old style Asian bow legs, not sure how many teeth she had left and her eyesight was failing her. But she had an inner fire and she said she was okay to go and leave this world but it wasn’t her time yet and she knew it…
I asked if it was okay to take a picture with her - ‘as long as no black magic…’
Her leaving advise to us :
‘Be nice, don’t say bad things about others’.
She rocked…
There was also a young girl who lived with her mum and sister, their dad had not long passed away. She had a strap around her ankle and I could totally relate to that as mine was still sore from falling. It didn't stop her liveliness though and she bounded away to return with her mushrooms!
She's growing them in a bag and what's so cool is that so am I!! My friend Balan is the owner of Herb In a Cup and he'd given me some mushrooms to grow.... Amazing to watch them as they grow really fast.
I showed the girl my photo, it was super cool to be able to bond with her over our mushrooms!!!
Antartica:
Saturday was a dinner with some friends, and I ended up chatting to the host about life, life in Singapore and then he shared a journey he’d been on through his work to Antartic. How often is it you meet someone who’s been there..!? His pictures are stunning, and to learn about how the animals there and that the seals simply roll over wanting their bellies rubbed - I want to go!!!…
This world is amazing.
Here’s the story why he was there:-
“My involvement in the Antarctic spans several years and involves many clients.
The Antarctic is a unique and pristine place and is designated as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. The Antarctic is protected from exploitation by the Antarctic Treaty which was signed in Washington on the 1st of December, 1959. Some of the most important provisions of the treaty are that the Antarctic shall be used for peaceful purposes only. Environmental protection of the Antarctic is covered by a treaty that sets forth basic principles applicable to human activities in Antarctica and prohibits all activities relating to Antarctic mineral resources. The conservation of the fauna and flora is an area that is covered by a treaty that restricts and manages human disturbance of Antarctic fauna and flora. The human impact in Antarctica is reduced by agreements that requires waste to be removed from the Antarctic and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way in the country of origin.
My clients over the years have been several of the National Antarctic Programs and specifically are from Norway, Argentina, Great Britain, Australia, the U.S.A. and India. My longest association, spanning more than ten years, has been for the Government of India who have two scientific research stations in operation in the eastern section of the Antarctic. The photographs are from a four month trip I undertook from December 2012 until April 2013 as a guest of my client, the National Centre for Antarctic and Oceanic Research of India (NCAOR). As a ship broker, it is my occupation to provide the logistics required to mount the annual expedition to the Antarctic for the NCAOR.
I would go back to the Antarctic in a heartbeat if I could. The pristine surroundings with its unique fauna and flora, so untouched by the hand of Man, is a magnet that will continue to draw me to the White Continent. It is so very important to preserve the Antarctic and protect it from the malign hand of Man as a showcase for conservation for Mankind.” Peter Ugland
Kal....
Sunday brought another dinner and more fascinating conversation with my buddy Roger and Kal, a 78 year old explorer in the throes of writing a book about the 2 sides to Papua New Guinea. (Did you know there were 2 sides!!)…He has had some adventures and trips and has stories are not just about those but about his life in general. We were sitting encouraging him to write his stories down (which is not what his book is about) - and he was like ‘yeah but my stories are not that interesting to others’….
This guy is fascinating, not just with his life stories but his views on life, and I've loved chatting to him in the 4 times I have now met him. He listens, he contemplates, he choses his words wisely. He has a quietness about him and an energy that resonates out far.
When Kal tells his stories it’s like listening to a much loved, patient grand parent; there’s no patronising tone because you don't know something, his voice is soft and gentle and he laughs at his own jokes. It is so easy to listen to him, although I did want to interrupt a few times as I got so excited by what he was saying!!!… But he’s not interesting….!!!???!
His words of ‘not interesting’ struck such a chord in me as that’s what I say about myself and things I’ve done in life.....
Here's some more stuff about him: www.baliadvertiser.biz/kal_muller/ it was written in 2014 still gives you an idea behind the man!!. He was also the first white man to do the land dive in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and was in the National Geographic article on bungee jumping in 1970 ( I wasn't even born...) - hence me sharing my bungee.!!
What would life be like if we viewed every day as an adventure to be had, and every person as a book to be opened, and the world around us as our playground.....?
What would life look like...? I think I might try this way a while longer....
Please share you adventures and if you want some paper contact below
Thanks, happy adventuring.....
x