Tasmania, Transformations & Transitions

It has been difficult to keep up with my blog, the last few months.

I retired from the Queensland Writer’s Centre, management committee.

My father died from stomach cancer.

I went to his funeral in Tasmania, gave the Eulogy and met one of my cousins for the very first time. I saw old friends from childhood. Some of whom remember when I first began to read!

I did my second teacher placement, to teach secondary school English and humanities, and wrote it up, which was epic, as you have to give ‘evidence’ of practice through well-chosen and annotated artefacts. It was a well rubricked process, but still it took a lot of work.

I discovered a family story I did not know. My Grandfather, on Dad’s side of the family moved from England to Tasmania to become a teacher due to a teaching shortage across Australia. So, the teaching profession has placed a part in my family being in Australia.

I found out one of my stories will be being published into a digital picture book, alongside other stories from Melanesia. More on that later. I had the most beautiful experience with that, with one of the editors saying it was such a beautiful story it had made her cry, and this was when I was on the way to my father’s funeral. I sent the final edits through whilst on teacher placement.

As you can see it is a time of transitions and transformations.

My Dad has gone onto the next worlds, beyond this one, I am working towards becoming a teacher and edging closer, and long-term projects are coming to fruition.

I love that my family, David, me and our three children, were all gathered in one spot for the first time in over three years. We felt our strong connection, and the two grandmothers were also together for the first time in ages.

The joy of connection at the funeral would have made Dad happy, although sad not to be with us. However, I think of him reunited with old friends, and family in the next life and out of pain

Thanks for all those who visit the blog, and support the transitions and transformations in the people and community around you.