Feeling good!

Yesterday I went to the PACE (Positive Action towards Career Engagement) event in Brisbane central where I was presented with a certificate. And I spoke. I hadn't realise that Steph and I would be the only ones talking!! After Steph spoke about our meetings which she thought went very well, I was asked how the mentoring went on for me. I told everyone how I had started in this program, I explained about my brain aneurysms and my stroke, and told them that Steph has been wonderful, giving me thoughts to think about... as long as I write them down!

I now have a certificate which I feel very proud about. Sounds weird, eh?

I have looked back into my training over so many years. In NZ I did much training in the Army (which resulted in my promotion to Corporal), a Diploma of Management, a Diploma of Business, First Aid, ISO audit, membership of the NZIM (New Zealand Institute of Management) and countless training with groups whose courses were valuable in a workplace. I still have all the certificates. In Australia I started with a Diploma of Workplace Health & Safety which I upgraded to the Graduate Diploma of WHS with 2.5 years training through CQU. I was First Aid trained, RABQSA (audit) trained and certified, QComp trained as a RRTWC (Rehabilitation and Return toWork Coordinator), trained in fire building regulations, NCSA (National Safety Council of Australia) and SIA (Safety Institute of Australia) registered, and much else. I still have all of those certificates too.

I can't do WHS any more. Long story, but it ended up with my stroke which has drawn me backwards from where I was. My history is now a record which I have to look at if I want to remember it. My working doing what I used to do is no longer my real future. The PACE program I went to has bounced me forward, and I feel very grateful to them and Steph. I can move into my own future with my head up. I know I won't be able to get another job - I'm on a DSP and I'm old (59 FPS!!!) but I'm sure you readers know what I do now.

I write.

I have written for so many years, and this is like my history and my future, and I don't need to "remember it". I have written for magazines, written stories, poems, letters, emails, blogs and posts and written through all my training as well as my own time. I have now published my first book and the second one is due very soon. And there's more...

I've done a couple of short stories this year in the "Prose" page on my website. I've joined a local author's group (I am writing a story for their latest book) and I go to their meetings every month.

My website has a "Quotes" page. Almost every day I do the artwork on the sub-pages, so I can see what's

said. I can't remember it, but I can look through it and feel good about what I have done.

I've joined the local poet's group and I've been writing more poetry this year than I had at all last year or the year before that. It mightn't make sense yet - but it will when my brain works.

Laurie Graham said "I've never minded solitude. For a writer, it's a natural condition." Perhaps now, many months after my brain surgery and stroke, I am started to feel pretty good in solitude. My advice? Love your own life if you can. Never mind any people who have upset you or dumped you. Never mind living with what they did to you. Live for yourself.

Have a great day!