Pure Joy

Some days you are the magician and some days you are desperately looking for the magic.

A shot in the arm. A reason.

Something to keep you going. Anything.

Life can be all kinds of things and often all at once.

As most of us have now encountered, life can break you a little, or, a lot. That overwhelming sense that life was never meant to be like that, the the original design got messed up.

I have had my moments where I wondered what is the point, and what value can I possibly serve this world. It sounds very self-centred, but when you get to that place, or should I say, fall to that place, it is hard to see it any other way. If you are there right now, my heart goes out to you. Just know this is not the end.

So of course, I give myself an upper cut, have a double shot espresso, pull up my socks and carry on, and many of us do. And that is often how we conquer, how we overcome. Just get up one more time.

Which is why I resonate so much with a story/movie like Rocky, but I can talk about that another day.

So if gratitude is the pill, the trajectory-changer, the catapult out of the shadows, then gratitude it is.

So, what are you grateful for?.....what am I grateful for?

Stop for a moment. Pause. You have something, I dare say, quite a few things. Already your mood may have just shifted.

Look closely. Right around you. Your immediate sphere. A spouse, close friend, lover, bank manager (ha!), child, your mum....the list can go on.

For me it is my daughter. I am grateful beyond these few words. She makes me laugh with her silly, sometimes irreverent humour. she cares deeply for people and things that matter, and as a parent that is a wonderful attribute to observe in your kid. My hope is she will live magnificently, and I have a sneaky feeling she will make a mark.

Yesterday, at her initiation, on a sun-drenched spring afternoon, we took an afternoon drive (via KFC for a snack - her weakness). We meandered down the highway and took a left towards a quiet coastal precinct called Jacobs Well.

What I love about this little drive is the journey quickly traverses from highway to vast open clearings with moments of sugar cane farming. It gives a very open, ambient feel to the travel and is perfect for a soundtrack. I love these kind of mini-escapes. especially for the mind, to escape the city and bustle and find some serenity, peace and calm.

Thankfully, my daughter has acquired some great musical taste, and we landed on some epic tunes from The National which was a nice deviation from the Top10 peddled out on our local radio on high rotation.

We shared some funny stories, instagram videos (thanks Chris Hemsworth), talked about the year that has quickly slipped by, and just enjoyed each other's company. Right there. for me, this is the sweetness of life. Looking beyond this can miss what is often right in front of you.

I feel I am learning some valuable life lessons through my daughter. It's humbling but also enriching. Like the fields we travelled through to get to our little destination, there's an openness that's freeing. And for a few hours we forgot about the cares that easily steal our focus.

So look around you, you just may find some beautiful souls who you can be thankful for, who make a difference in your life.

Just maybe you can return the favour.

Be someone's reason.