I'M HERE, BUT NOT HERE

Yesterday (Saturday), we decided to visit a town with an intriguing name - Town of 1770. The drive is about one and a half hours heading north from where we live. The weather was typically hot. Potential rain had been forecast, yet it was blue skies- with the most amazing feathery white cloud formations- all the way to our destination.

Last year, John and I had decided that we would not neglect to explore our 'local' area. Back in Melbourne, we had lived at the foothills of the Yarra Ranges and had never really bothered to explore it. Others travel for miles to visit the stunning region renown for its vineyards and cellar doors. But regrettably, that was not us. Hence we had made a commitment to not find ourselves wishing we had taken the time to explore and enjoy our own backyard... so to speak. Sadly to say, after only a couple of day trips, our commitment waned and we found ourselves being busy with all those 'necessary' weekend chores.

During our unplanned stay in Narrabri- whilst our car was being serviced- we renewed our commitment. This time however, we would do our exploring as an extended family - our son, daughter-in law and 2 yr old grand-daughter. So that is what we did yesterday - and we had a ball! We drove together listening to RnB classics whilst being entertained by Willow until she fell asleep. Conversation was light. Some of us were still recovering from our previous night at the Library Bar. That too was a lot of fun.

The town of 1770, is beautiful. The photos I took just simply do not capture its seemingly untouched beauty. It's calm waters are dotted with small boats and yachts. Canoes and paddle boards are the preferred water activities. There were no strenuous swimmers, just people relaxing both in and out of the sea. It actually resembles more of a tranquil bay. But don't be fooled. A memorial plaque just further along at the look-out, gives a stark reminder of the dangers of these waters. But even such a recorded tragedy cannot minimise the beauty of this place. The purpose of this blog however is not to rave about 1770. You'll just have to take my word for it until you pay it a visit.

What I did want to briefly share was a life lesson learned from my grand-daughter, Willow. As I mentioned above, 1770 is a beautiful spot on the coast-line. Yet in spite of its beauty, I noted that at times we were all lost in thought as we walked along the beach. But not Willow. She remained fully present, quickly pointing out anything new that crossed her path. John, my husband, also noted this. Well this got me thinking. How can we be in such a beautiful location and yet be mentally engaged elsewhere. It's as though we continually flit between present, past and future. I was conscious of my own mind jumping to the tasks of what I hoped to do once we returned home. What became clear was that while my mental attention was elsewhere, I missed the details of the present. Hence it was possible to really look forward to something, but miss experiencing it because my mind was engaged elsewhere.

There was a tinge of envy just watching Willow's ability to be fully present - physically, mentally and emotionally. What was so natural for her had become unnatural for us. In fact, practicing the ability to remain present can be a downright struggle. Yet here was Willow, only 2 yrs old, totally immersed in the experience of 1770.

Being fully present is not a new concept to me and most probably not for yourself either. But having this pint size visual example has certainly added a new dimension to my understanding and practice of living in the present.

And as for the intriguing name of the town? Well, 1770 was the year that Lieutenant James Cook came ashore in what is now known as town of 1770 - 24 May.

Till next time...

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