Day out in Manly

On Sunday, we met up with our Spanish friends again and did a nice, relaxed walk to Shelly Beach and the cliffs nearby. Mack came along and enjoyed the warm sunshine with us.  Then we managed to find an outside table at the Bavarian Beer Cafe that was Mack friendly and I tucked into a huge dose of pork knuckle.  Mack enjoyed the odd mouthful too.

Synchronicity: Dani and the swifts

I discovered that Dani, my ex girlfriend who I broke up with in 2013, was in a long term relationship with a beautiful man (Paul) who she met a few months after our relationship ended.  There was some inevitable pain in the discovery as I was still in love with her but I was also deeply happy that she had met someone special.  

Several times, while out doing my mindful walking, my mind would turn to Dani and I'd wish her well.  She really wanted a child. I wished and prayed to the universe that she be able to have a child with Paul despite her being in her 40's. 

Then, on one weekend, I went camping. I lay alone next to a beautiful river and wished Dani and her relationship well and hoped with all my heart that she be able to have a family.  As I did so, a huge flock of swifts and starlings suddenly swirled and swooped above me.  Swifts for me have deep spiritual significance ever since a mystical experience I had in India in 1997.  I took it as a sign from the universe that Dani was well and that she was being taken care of.

I later discovered that Paul already had a young son, and as time went on, I thought that maybe this was the universe's way of blessing Dani with a family as she was getting too old to have a child of her own.  The thought gave me comfort.

In 2019, on Facebook, Dani, at the age of 47,  announced the birth of a beautiful little girl called Zoe.  I will never forget the surge of joy and gratitude I felt.

Mermaids Pools and Tahmoor Gorge revisited

I did this hike in June and so loved it, I thought I must invite some friends along and do it again.  Gavin, Liz, Srini and Zante came along and we had a wonderful day in the sunshine. The highlight was an extremely brisk swim in one of the rock pools, warmed up after by some of Gavin's delicious tea which he'd brought in a flask.  A fantastic day with a beautiful group of people.

Potholes

The beautiful Mermaid Pools

At the top of Tahmoor Gorge

Walking through Tahmoor Gorge

A very brisk but invigorating swim

Spring around Berry Island

Berry Island is one of my daily walks and I took my little camera with me today.  The flowers were out in force.  So beautiful.  I really do live in the midst of paradise.

Tennis

Brendan and I played tennis again today.  We're so evenly matched and had a great titanic battle.  So much fun.  And lovely in the sunshine.

Letter to Chrisel

Dear Chrisel

It's been so wonderful to get to know you during the past 4 months. Meeting you through Meet Up was such a gift. It's amazing that in such a short time you've become one of my very closest and most cherished friends...

Or maybe not when I consider all your beautiful qualities...

Here are just some of the many things that I have come to love about you ...

• The fact you're so directed by your purpose and values and desire to follow your heart.   
• Your courage in giving up work and following your dreams. So inspiring!   
• The way you got rid of all your old furniture and "stuff", opening space in your life.   
• Your love of travel and exploring new places and experiences.   
• Your love of Africa's nature and wildlife, especially giraffes.   
• Your love of the outdoors, nature and hiking.   
• Your love of doing adventurous and different things.   
• Your deep love for music.   
• Your  passion for your penny whistle and all the beautiful tunes you can play, even in the traffic!   
• Your love of movies, including animated ones.   
• Your love of good food and red wine.   
• Your love for good chocolate in all it's wonderful forms - and for taking me on a chocolate tour. 
• Your deep love for South Africa - it's spirit, , personality, beauty, places, people.  I can so deeply relate!   
• Your deep love for your family.   
• Your wonder for the universe and its stars and planets.   
• Your passion for jeeps!   
• Loving so many of the same things I do. Even little things like Nesquick, instant pudding and Grandadillal lollies!   
• The fact you love skinny dipping.    
• How passionate and inspired you get about many things and the way your eyes light up when you talk about them. So inspiring!   
• The way your sunshine shines through, even when you're full of sinus and cold.   
• Your deep appreciation for life despite the suffering you and your loved ones have been through.   
• Your amazing yoga poses and very own, unique routine.   
• The fact you can be chatty and animated and buzzing - and also quiet and calm and reflective.   
• Your sense of humour and the ease with which you laugh.   
• What a wonderful friend you are to your friends, be it looking after their challenging doggies or making them amazing cakes on their birthdays.   
• The fact you want to make a difference to people in the world.   
• The way you look after yourself with yoga and veggie juice, even if it makes your hands a bit orange! The wonderful, endearing way you tell jokes, especially when you put on  funny voices!   
• Your close relationship with your mum.   
• The fact you need time and space to regroup (e.g. before work on Monday.)  I can really relate to that. The fact you get anxious sometimes, like when you need to perform.  I can so relate to that too.   
• The way you've accepted your condition and wanting to inspire others in similar circumstances. 
• Your courage in getting IVF treatment and doing all you can to make your dreams happen.  You'd make such an amazing mum.   
• The fact you're sensitive and wary of rejection. I can so relate to that.   
• The fact you've been deeply in touch with your shadow, and come out so strongly into the light. 
• The fact you're not totally sure where you belong, feeling like you have your feet in two countries.   
• The fact you're so in touch with your feelings and that you feel so deeply.   
• The way you can see all sides of things and are so open minded.   
• Your inbuilt navigation skills,  I'm envious!   
• Your skills as a leaping photographer.   
• The fact you've written music for special people in your life.   
• All the amazing things you've gotten me into: tea, broccolini, Lúnasa, the Lindt chocolate cafee. The Comedy Store, smoothies, stretching, Trevor Noah, Sting.   
• How you make people feel so comfortable, able to be completely themselves.   
• Your quirky side   
• The fact you feel different from "the herd."    
• The fact you're secure enough to drive a bit of a beaten up car (like mine!)   
• Being able to have deep discussions about the meaning of life one moment, and being able to laugh about something lighthearted the next.   
• Your kindness.   
• Your great sense of fun.   
• Your amazing openness and willingness to share  deep things about yourself.   
• Your down to earthness.   
• Your beautiful smile and stunning, green eyes.   
• The fact you are so comfortable to be yourself.   
• Your kind, warm, positive energy.   

All in all, you're pure sunshine.  Thank you for being the kind, loving, wonderful, inspiring soul you are.  Thank you for being You; exactly You.

I'm also so grateful for the wonderful experiences we've shared over the past 4 months.  Here are just some of the highlights for me ...

• The Comedy Store - what a great place!   
• Picnicing in the sunshine at Berry Island with Mack.   
• Your delicious babootie.   
• Walking backwards with you at the park and on the beach.   
• Bringing you soup when you were sick.   
• Feeling so comfortable with you felt I could share my Afrikaans story.   
• Being inspired together by David Doubilet's photographs at the Sydney Opera House.   
• Introducing me to The Lindt chocolate cafee and their orgasmic iced chocolate.   
• Walking in the Sydney Botanical Garden at sunset with our cameras.   
• Introducing me to The Central Coast's secret places and that bracing swim at Maitland Bay.   
• Finding your ear rings on the beach - they obviously wanted to be found!   
• Introducing me to yoga - what a great instructor you are!   
• So many wonderful meals and decadent desserts shared.   
• Chilling on the couches at the pub in North Sydney.   
• Watching some great movies like How I Tamed Your Dragon 2, Lucy, Magic in the Moonlight, The Notebook, The Prestige.   
•  Enjoying the flowers at Muogamarra Nature Reserve and looking down onto the river from the trig beacon   
• Gorging ourselves with chocolate on the Sydney chocolate tour - one of the best and most memorable presents I've ever received.   
• Meeting Angel, your wonderful Spanish friend.   

Needless to say, I'll miss you like crazy while you're away and you'll be very much in my thoughts.  I wish you a year full of adventure, new experiences and friendships, self discovery, wonder and beauty, fun and laughter and lots of love and deep connection with your family.  I can't wait to follow your journey!

Lots of love and hugs,

G