Happiness & Gratitude is a Choice

I was talking with a dear friend recently about unrealised dreams and how we respond to the storms in our lives.

For me, these unrealised dreams came in the form of a broken marriage. Since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of a long & happy marriage to a man who loved me unconditionally, “until death do us part”. However, after 14 years of marriage, during which I lost 2 babies to miscarriage, I also lost the father of my 4 (+2) children to adultery & abuse.

It would have been natural, to allow negativity to overtake my thoughts and steal my joy. However, I chose rise above my circumstances; to stand and praise Him anyway through these times of trauma & loss, and to be thankful for what I have rather than what I have lost.

My friend had a very similar story to me. We were discussing how we could have responded very differently than the way we did, and the affect that would have had on our own lives and the lives of our children.

It took time to heal my wounded heart... before I found peace, contentment, forgiveness and happiness in my "new" life as a single Mum to my four young children. God carried me through, just like in the well-known poem “Footprints”.

However, it would take 12 years of single parenting until I finally met the man I had dreamed of as a child (and surprisingly, he was a man I had known since I was 6 months old)!

The biggest lesson I have learned through all my life experiences is... Gratitude in all things!
It's a choice to be grateful. It's a choice to extend forgiveness to those who hurt you. It's a choice to find joy in even the toughest situations!

Just last week, I lost that dear friend... she died from complications after giving birth to her 7th child... she leaves behind 6 young children. To say I am sad is an understatement. I will miss her terribly.

Her loss is a reminder of how unpredictable life can be. We never know when our time is up; there is often no warning, no time to prepare. I believe it is important to never leave things unresolved. My aim is to make sure that the last thing I have said to my loved ones is "I love you".

**This post is dedicated to my dear friend Vicki Leanne Butler. Until we meet again, Vicki!**


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St Kilda Pier, VIC

St Kilda Pier has been the centre of recreational activity in St Kilda since the 1850's. Both the old shed at the pier entrance and the pavilion at the end are part of Victoria's heritage. Providing panoramic views of the Melbourne skyline and Port Phillip Bay, the pier is a popular destination for strolling, cycling, roller blading and fishing.

St Kilda Pier's history dates back to 1853 when the St Kilda Pier and Jetty Company constructed a wooden jetty to assist the early settlers in unloading timber, building materials and firewood to St Kilda. Not long after its construction the small jetty fell victim to a stormy Port Phillip Bay and was washed away. Various forms of piers were constructed at St Kilda in the 1800's as the demand for a larger pier grew with the ever-increasing trade to and from the area. Since then the St Kilda Pier has grown to its present size, with the most recent concrete section constructed in the 1970's.

The historic St Kilda Pier Kiosk was built in 1904 and has undergone several renovations in its time. Tragically, the Kiosk was devastated by fire on September 11, 2003. After massive public support to rebuild the kiosk, it was reconstructed to the original 1903 plans, utilising some of the salvaged components, such as the cast iron roof, decorative cresting and weather vane.

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K I N D N E S S : Bribie Island, QLD

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." -- Mark Twain

This particular afternoon, the reflections on the lake at Buckley's Hole Conservation Park, Bribie Island, were fabulous! In hindsight, I should have remained in this spot for sunset! 

The lily pads, among the reflected clouds, were home to some Comb-creasted Jacanas.

It was a beautiful day!

"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

This scene really touched my heart -- a couple taking in the afternoon light. It spoke of peace, love, togetherness...

Michael and I sat quietly together as the sun set in the west; the light touching the tops of the long grass, the sky turning golden yellow, and the Glasshouse Mountains as a backdrop.

"In this life we cannot always do great things. But we can do small things with great love." -- Mother Teresa

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Millionaires Walk, Sorrento, VIC

This stunning cliff top walk has historic significance as it was the first time the Union Jack was used to claim possession of Australia. On the 9th March 1802, Acting Lieutenant John Murray, commander of the 'HMAS Lady Nelson' took possession of Point King, later to be renamed Port Phillip Bay, in the name of His Sacred Majesty George III of Great Britain and Ireland. 

You can start the walk at either Point King Road or Lentell Avenue. Limited parking is available at both Point King Road and Lentell Avenue.

Although there are gates at both ends of the track and at points along the way, there is a public right-of-way along the easement. The undulating track is well-maintained, on mostly natural surfaces, which makes it an easy walk for all ages.

The walk allows you to gain an insight into how Melbourne's elite spend time at their summer mansions, and the chance to quietly peruse some highly-priced private architecture.  

At certain points it feels as if you may be trespassing, due to the intimate nature of walking on front lawns which would usually be hidden behind high fences.

On one side, there are elegant houses with beautifully landscaped gardens; on the other, a low shrubby cliff dropping down to rows of boat houses and private jetties that stretch out through the shallows of a bay.

The water views across Port Phillip Bay to the Bellarine Peninsula, Melbourne and Mount Dandenong are breathtaking.

The Sorrento-Queenscliff passenger and car ferry makes regular trips multiple times each day.

Millionaires Walk makes up a small part of the Sorrento Portsea Artists’ Trail, with four of the fourteen sites that comprise the trail located along Millionaires Walk. Paintings by Sir Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and Ray Hodgkinson are displayed along the walk.

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