Winter 2012 by Goodlife Community Centre

good life the

winter 2012

Contributors Kerrie-Anne Bennett Lyn Caverhill Donna Dixey Marie Finnigan Bonnie Giles Dani Harriott Roxanne Hayden Sharlene Hunter Ruth Jeffs Tim Lovell Lindsay Smith

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Cover Image: www.kerrieanne.com

The Good Life magazine is an extension of the Goodlife Community Centre. Our intention is to drop a bit of hope into your hands, encouraging you to find a place of connection and belonging because we are convinced that people matter. 2

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winter 2012

Contents 06 Letter from the editor 08 Connected? Being Part of A Community

14 Book Reviews What book club members have to say

16 It Started With A Smile Falling in love and staying that way for 61 years

20 Poem: The Bucket Fixer By Marie Finnigan

22 Changing Perspective Experiencing India in an unexpected way

32 Olympic Dreaming Chasing gold from the Sunshine Coast to London

40 Recipe: Dottyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shortbread Cassic shortbread, just in time for Christmas in July

42 Regular Happenings At the Goodlife Community Centre

46 Fragments Of The Mind Sand by Tim Lovell

The views expressed in the magazine content are the responsibility of the respective contributors and are not necessarily those of Goodlife Community Centre or The Good Life magazine. The acceptance of advertisements does not indicate editorial endorsement. No part of the publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. ÂŠ Copyright 2012

a letter from the editor

My ten year old son recently started playing soccer again. The season has gotten off to a slow start, with all the rain the Sunshine Coast has had, the fields were too wet to practice on, let alone play a game!

The coach was able to squeeze in one indoor practice at a local community centre, and the week before their first game, they were able to have an actual practice on an actual field. Game day came, we made our way to Coolum and gathered with the rest of the team. The boys and girls took the field, in their various positions and the game started. I was amazed as I watched these children play. I don’t know the ins and outs of soccer; ask me to tell you the rules and I’ll tell you I can’t. But here’s what I have worked out. There is a goalie. This person guards the goal with their life. They watch the ball and move about to be in the right position for when it comes to them. They jump, they lunge sideways – almost flying! They throw themselves onto the ground, whatever it takes to keep the ball from going into their goal. There are defenders. They stay nearer to the goal than the other team members. Seems to me, their job is to make sure that the goalie never has to deal with the ball. There are midfielders and there are strikers, I know this because striker is the position my boy was excited to be given. I watched as the midfielders received the pass from the 6

defenders, ran the ball up the field a bit and then passed it the strikers who were positioned up near the other team’s goal. I watched our team score six goals just by passing the ball from team mate to team mate as they moved up the field and then finally into position to score. I watched the excitement on their faces when the game finished and the other team hadn’t managed to score one goal against them. I listened to the coach congratulate the team after the game, not because they had won, but because they had played as a team should play. With the deadline quickly closing in to get all of the content for this first edition of The Good Life magazine to our designer, I am thrilled at how it has all come together. Many months ago, when we first decided to have a go at putting together a magazine, we hadn’t a clue how to play the game. A designer was suggested, we met with her, heard her great ideas, loved her enthusiastic attitude and willingness to move forward with us. We kicked the ball to her. We knew we wanted the main part of our magazine to be stories. Stories about people, mostly ones in the community we are a part of, maybe eventually even a bit broader. Through these stories, we hope to drop a bit of hope into the hands of you, our readers, encouraging you to find a place of connection and belonging because we are convinced that people matter. A few writers put their hands up to write these stories; we passed the ball to them. Not even dreaming that we would find a professional photographer who would want to be part of this, one approached us out

of the blue and offered to voluntarily take whatever photos we needed, completely out of the goodness of his heart, with no desire for compensation or recognition. The ball was on its way again, one more team member making their way to the goal. The team has other players who have organized advertising, designed ads, made recommendations, submitted poetry and articles, talked through forms and legalities. Every player on the team has had the ball, run their length of the field, passed to their teammates, maybe taken a shot at the goal ... Sitting here on the edge of our deadline, I am excited! I am excited because we have played as a team. I am excited because without each person doing what they did, this would not have happened. I am excited because we went into this with no idea what to expect but have been amazed as each piece of this magazine puzzle so easily fell into place. I am excited to hold this magazine in my hand. But most of all, I am excited because YOU will get to hold this magazine in your hand!

bonnie We would really love to hear your thoughts. If you’d like to write a letter to the editor, send it to admin@goodlife.org.au Please note, some letters may be published in the next magazine. Please advise in your email if you do NOT want yours to be published. 7

Connected? Facebook, twitter, e mail, phones – all symbols of people engaging with each other. But what if relationships could go beyond the electronic and people actually connected with people?

Not in the romantic sense, but just in the way that two people used to meet face to face; used to chat – before texting, facebook and twitter? Studies show that babies in orphanages fail to thrive if there is no human comfort or physical interaction. Remember the guy who hung a board around his neck, offering free hugs? Search free hugs on You Tube, you’ll find it. He was alone and away from family. He felt disconnected, so his sign read “Free Hugs”. At first people walked passed, avoided eye contact, swerved, shook their heads, then one woman walked up and hugged him. Not because he needed a hug, but because she did. This created a flow of people, who shared snippets of their days, lives, feelings – they connected for one brief moment with a stranger. In a world that is increasingly “disconnected” we are in very real danger of entering into an existence and not a life. > 8

Our lives are becoming a series of pertinent communications; less and less real relationship and connect.

Last century, Edwin Brock wrote this: “These are, as I began, cumbersome ways to kill a man. Simpler, direct, and much more neat is to see that he is living somewhere in the middle of the twentieth century, and leave him there.” The same could be said of the twenty first century. Our lives are becoming a series of pertinent communications; less and less real relationship and connect. We are known by our mobile numbers, e-mail addresses and facebook pages. We are no longer flesh and blood people. But let me tell you a story about a real live person, one who has chosen not to live her life hidden in a number; one who has chosen to connect… She walked into a local community centre in June 2003. She was out of her wheel chair

after spending six weeks recovering from an operation. She was walking like “someone with one leg shorter than another”. She didn’t know a soul; felt intimidated, but needed some exercise to get her moving. She was hoping to join a swimming class. Intrepidly, she sat on one of the benches, dotted around the pool, unsure of what to do and who to speak to. This was a new beginning. She joined the newly built gym, trusting in the integrity of the people involved – taking a chance that this gym wouldn’t close when so many were at that time. She was number 37 signifying she was one of the first 100 people to join. Who is she? Someone famous? A Sunshine Coast celebrity? You probably don’t even know her, but, you should always know “someone” like her and here’s why. >

She is Kris Smith, no longer just a number, but an iconic member of a gym situated near her home. Her friendly, open manner, her warm approach and her ability to make one feel important has kept her engaged and a part of a community. Even as we chatted, she kept smiling and nodding, acknowledging people as they walked by. Her conversation is full of memories of people who have passed through the doors. She knows their names; she’s made friends and connection. Kris is in the gym four times a week, but she is quick to point out that the coffee is more important than the workout. The barista walks past, and I called out to him, “What is Kris’ coffee order?” Without

challenge of resisting the delicious edible treats on display! Every community centre should have “a Kris Smith”. She determines to see the good in people, to extend the hand of welcome to any one who crosses her path. She has chosen to belong to a community, to be connected to people and this is a good thing. She sees her time spent with friends and working out, as her “space”, which she jealously guards, not even including her husband! And this is a man whom she has been married to for 43 years. Her marriage secret? No surprises there, talking to each other, communicating.

She has chosen to belong to a community, to be connected to people. hesitation he answered, “1/4 strength, flat white in a mug. Very hot. Thank you!” When asked why she has stayed with this particular gym, she is quick to reply, “Two reasons: it is where all my friends are now, and I don’t have to worry about being older, or what I wear, there’s no competition here.” This woman who arrived knowing no one and feeling intimidated can now be found in the gym classes, the instructor wryly pointing out, she is there for the exercise, not the talking! From the gym, there is an easy path to the café, where she joins her friends for the usual – no food, only coffee, conversation and the faint

Kris has thrived within a community, facilitated by a gym in a centre. The question we need to be asking ourselves is, “are we connected?” It’s not just about a place, but about willingness to reach out and engage with other people. Yes, the ease with which Kris does this may be her personality, but it’s more about her, thinking about how she felt when she was unconnected and isolated. It may require an enormous step out of our comfort zones. Extend the hand of connection by offering your name; get the people chatting about themselves. If you are sharing the same space at any given time, already there is enough of spark to start a nonelectronic connection.

book reviews Reviews by members of Goodlife Book Club

AN OUTBACK LIFE Mary Groves, Allen & Unwin

An Outback Life is a glimpse of a world that’s quickly disappearing. During her time in the Northern Territory, Groves shows how things changed dramatically: men on horses were replaced by helicopters and vehicles with bionic arms; Aboriginal policy shifted both for better and for worse, and those with fortitude turned a rough living scraped out of the red dust into a reasonable existence. Mary herself changed from a rebellious youngster to a steadfast bride, and eventually became the centre of life on the station. She faced death, disaster and disappointments with remarkable resilience and stoicism. She even was kidnapped by Australia’s then wealthiest man, Kerry Packer! This is all written with skill and insight. This book will appeal to grey nomads, Australian biography buffs, and those with a love of the Northern Territory.

THE OPAL DESERT Di Morrissey, Pan Macmillan

If you like fiction in Australian settings, with a blending of unlikely characters, you will enjoy this read by prolific author Di Morrissey. As I’m not a dedicated Di Morrissey fan, I read this book with interest and hopefully, some objectivity. The picturesque setting of Lightning Ridge, Broken Hill and White Cliffs are areas all 14

known to me, and the author’s description of them was pleasantly authentic. The plot was a bit contrived but plausible enough. At times I find the dialogue is stilted, not really the kind of language you hear from ‘characters’ living in outback places. However, for what Di Morrissey’s genre purports to be: mystery, adventure and romance, her newest offering, Opal Desert ticks all the boxes. If you are looking for something to do on a wet afternoon, The Opal Desert is a great read to share with a cup of tea or two.

THE DOVEKEEPERS Alice Hoffman, Simon & Schuster Ltd

The setting for the book is Masada, which today is one of the Jewish people’s greatest symbols because in 70 AD, nine hundred Jews held out against the Romans on this mountain in the Judean desert. Although a fictional book, the author has obviously researched the historical material well, weaving in factual information around fictional characters. The storyline is based around the lives of four very strong but very different women who have been thrown together when they fled from the Romans to the safety of Masada. They have been given the job of being the dovekeepers – not a very glamorous job. Harvesting much needed dove manure for the olive and fruit trees, which help to feed the people. The author interestingly compares their lives pre Masada with life and toil on the mountain under the oppression of the Roman siege. I especially appreciated the language of the book and the intriguing way she described things as a first century person would. Overall, a very good read.

STASILAND Anna Funder, Text Publishing Co

If you ever wondered what it was like to live in East Germany after World War II and before the fall of the Berlin Wall, then this book is a must read. In 1996, this Australian author resided in Berlin researching the war era and the lives caught up in it, from both sides of the fence: the heroes who resisted the communist dictatorship and those who supported it often working for the dreaded secret police, the Stasi. It’s said that East Germany may have been “the most perfected surveillance state of all time”. There was one informer for every 50 people. Hidden microphones and cameras were everywhere. You could be abducted off the street and taken to prison for speaking against the ruling party. I found it a very compelling book, though sometimes a challenge to read about the harshness of life under that tyrannical system. It was also inspiring to read about “ordinary” people whose indomitable spirits gave them strength and courage to withstand the injustices and brutality of life in this terrible era of Germany’s history.

Bookclub Last Friday of every month Meet in the Goodlife Café at 9:30am Everyone welcome! lins1@westnet.com.au 15

It started with a smile When the recipe for a marriage is tested for 61 years, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got to be something good and valuable in the ingredients.

Hugh is a retired engineer, who fell in love with the ivory keys many moons ago. He has kind eyes and weathered hands, a love of Sudoku and a tasty appetite for McDonalds treats. He credits his musical skills as the local Sunday School organ player to how he snagged the love of his life, Laurel. They would meet each other there every Sunday, and soon enough they were never not meeting each other. They quickly became best friends and couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand being without one another. It was the day World War II ended, when he cheekily asked Laurel if she would go steady with him in the small town of Maryborough and they have been inseparable for 61 years! > 17

Their sweet and quiet companionship shows a peek into the long‐lasting love underneath. Laurel spent most of her working life breathing in the soothing smells of fabric at the local laundromat. A lover of her ever-growing family of eleven grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and two more on the way. They sure keep her busy. Life for Laurel and Hugh rolled on by the Mary River for many years. They loved living in the Heritage City of Queensland but when retirement came they packed up for a lifestyle change by the sea and moved themselves to their new home on the Sunshine Coast. They have found happiness and community by these shores and love when their family comes to visit. Hugh tells me all his tricks to Sudoku and laughs when I tell him I can’t stand the game and just always end up cheating. Laurel smiles at my obvious impatience, rocking in her chair with a soft smile. Their sweet and quiet companionship shows a peek into the long-lasting love underneath. Last year they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in style. I can’t help but snort when Hugh nearly knocks over his tea explaining the story that a bush turkey first flew into the wall then fell through the open window with a broken neck. The guests were horrified but Hugh just walked in, picked it up by the legs, making sure to give everyone a good look before flinging the bird into the garden. 18

‘Not many marriages last that long these days’ I say, before they tell me their recipe for having their love last a lifetime.

Step 1.

Love – it’s the beginning and the end of life together. Step 2.

Pour in a cup of acceptance – and understanding that the person you love, is the person you love, warts and all. Step 3.

Mix this all together with forgiveness. It’s apparent from their deep smiles that this recipe has proved delicious and lasting time and time again. Life is slower now, Laurel now needs to spend a few days a week on dialysis, but they still enjoy all the things they always have, music, reading and on Wednesdays they like to drive up the hill to a café in Buderim for two cups of

coffee and maybe a slice of cake. Hugh likes to spend time at a local community library helping to catalogue the books. He tells me his ‘eyes might not be as good as they used to be’ but he still loves to feel the inky paper between his fingers. He used to spend his Thursdays volunteering at the café they love, washing dishes and keeping the young ones on their toes. Seems this man is a bit of a legend. Two cups of tea later, and after pouring through many family photo albums our afternoon tea time together has come to an end. I look over my shoulder as I leave and can’t help but grin to see Hugh holding Laurel’s hand as they wave me off.

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The Bucket Fixer By Marie Finnigan

Every day he navigates the slums of Kigali, Rwanda, to find work fixing buckets. Buckets are used for washing, bathing, cooking: all the basic functions of daily life. So someone always needs a bucket, or something else repaired. This is how he lives. His favourite work is repairing shoes because he doesn’t have to inhale toxic chemicals. Patching a bucket means cutting, heating and inhaling poisonous fumes from plastics. This means he has to go to the medical clinic to have his lungs and airways cleared. He accepts this is how it is. I ran water to wash the sweet potatoes before putting them in the oven to bake. I had a hot shower and cleaned my teeth while my food was cooking. I emptied the washing machine and hung my sheets and clothes on the clothesline. I drove my car to the beach for a picnic lunch. I am typing this on my computer as the rain waters my garden. I have been to the market and bought fresh vegetables and eggs. I relax in my comfortable home on this wet weekend. And before the night’s out I will have watched a movie. I don’t know the man who repairs buckets to survive. I have never lived in a slum, or experienced real physical hardship. I can only sit and think of him and wonder what it’s like… As I put on my shoes and socks to go out to the gym.

C hanging

perspective

When Gemma and her husband Gabe planned a culturally challenging holiday to India, they experienced far more than they ever imagined…They were challenged but they were also enriched in all aspects of their lives.

“The two cities of Jodphur and Jaipur, so distinct with their blue and pink colours. Jodhpur is also known as the Sun City because the sun shines brightly here every day of the year, and as Blue City since most houses in the old part of the city are painted blue. Jaipur, dubbed “the Pink City” after the colour-wash of its old city’s walls, is indeed a visual treat. The city, which is the Holy Grail of Indian tourism, boasts its assembly of world-renowned monuments.” (Taken from official India Tourism site). Set within this kaleidoscope of colour is the local hospital. Not often mentioned in a travel article, but essential to humanity. It’s the place where the sick go, waiting hours with crying babies, in desperation and need, to be admitted to the ward or to be given medicine and sent home. This is where Gemma Roux met a woman whom she describes as “little glimpse of heaven”. After a night, where any western 24

expectations of healthcare had not been met, this woman, a pediatrician, well dressed, with a name badge, placed her hands on Gemma and told her how she had watched Gemma be carried in, grey and weak, and now she sees colour in her cheeks and that all will be well. So how is it that Dr Gemma Roux of the Sunshine Coast ended up in hospital and just what was she doing in India anyway? Gemma and her husband Gabe are avid travelers. They wanted an experience that was as far removed from Australian culture as possible. India. The first four days of their trip was to be spent in Delhi with their friend Robinson. A remarkable man, married to a Korean teacher, with two young children. He has ventured into the poorest areas of Delhi and builds schools, providing education, books, and uniforms to the poorest of poor. As Gemma and Gabe made their way to his home, through dense fog, they could make out piles

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of smouldering rubbish surrounded by people trying to keep warm and herds of ‘sacred’ cows. “The poverty is mad and it’s inescapable.” Says Gemma. It’s the most confronting she has seen on her travels. India pervades all your senses – your eyes, ears, your sense of smell. Their friend welcomed them to his home. A tiny house with one bedroom attached to a school. They slept in the office on a mat, wearing all their clothes, including thermals, as it was so cold. Winter temperatures in Delhi at night are around seven degrees. Gemma smiles as she remembers the shower … a bucket and a tap, where you poured water over parts of your body whilst shivering with cold. Then trying to snuggle into a mat to keep warm! The next few days was spent following Robinson around his schools and meeting the kids. Gemma comments, “the kids are beautiful!” These schools are attached to small churches. These churches are the size of a lounge room and decorated with tinsel and flowers and set in the middle of the slums. Dirt, sludge, cowpats, washing clothes and daily life are all done in the streets. The buildings are sandwiched together and when church is ‘on’ there is the sound of singing through all the buildings, all the streets. One of the most confronting experiences for Gemma and Gabe was their visit to a leper colony. Gemma describes it as “surreal”. The lepers live in little concrete houses; a hole in the wall. All the adults there have leprosy, the children do not – but they have to live there with their parents. These people are the “untouchables”. She was hugged and touched by men and women desperate for physical contact. Was she was concerned that she was at risk? “I don’t think I really considered it at the time - I guess I thought that it’s transmission would be similar to AIDS.” >

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The parents believed that if their baby was touched and named by western people he would have a blessed life.

During their time in the slums, they met a young couple that asked them to name their baby. This was an awesome privilege, as the parents believed that if their baby was touched and named by western people he would have a blessed life. So Gemma and Gabe wound their way through alleyways to the couple’s home. The mother, 19 years of age, was shy and overcome by the fact that Western, white people would come to her home. She had her scarf over her head and hardly looked at Gemma, but gazed at her baby with beautiful adoration. The dad, a young man, was proud of his new family. Their home, a room 3m x 3m, just a bed with a few shelves, sharing a communal kitchen with twenty other similar homes. Another young couple heard of the naming occasion and brought their newborn baby as well. The names were chosen, Daniel and Joshua. “What do the names mean?” the parents asked – the significance having bearing on their sons’ lives. What an honour had been bestowed on Gemma and Gabe. Part of this was the celebration of having a meal with the families. Seeing the state of the kitchen where the food was being prepared, Gemma felt a sense of dread. Not eating would be

the highest insult to the family who had spent all day preparing food, so they all ate the celebratory meal together. Gemma woke up the next morning sick. After the initial food poisoning, Gemma went through bouts of rallying in her health and then going down hill. Doctors suspect she caught a “super bug” – a mutated version of salmonella or shigella. Ignorant of this, they continued with their Indian odyssey. She speaks of the beauty of India and her fascination with the country, experiencing this while she became sicker and sicker. Finally she was confined to bed, with fevers, vomiting, diahorrea and a respiratory infection. After a particularly difficult night, Gabe contacted the local doctor, and they got to add a 3rd world hospital visit to their list of experiences! Gemma wryly comments that hospitals in India are confronting enough when you are on the medical side let alone as a patient. As Gabe carried her through a foyer overflowing with sick people and babies screaming, she was very aware of the eyes of mothers on her as she was shown the privileged treatment of a white westerner, but she was too weak to do anything more than protest weakly! >

She was admitted, her room, small and dingy with a bed and a drip stand. Five young male “nurses” appeared, speaking frantic Hindi, pulling out needles, three of them holding her down, Gabe trying to clarify basic hygiene issues, while the other two were trying to shove a drip in! The night passed, Gemma recovered, the holiday continued, they returned home. Case closed. Or so she thought. A few weeks back on the coast, Gemma was determined to get her health back on track. She’d been out for a run, when her knee started to swell. This heralded a year long journey of suffering. Her body’s immune system went into overdrive after the trauma of Who would have thought her illness in India. Thinking there was or even imagined that a a pathogen in her system and finding nothing to attack, her body turned on cultural adventure to India itself and began to ravage her joints. This and a visit to a friend would presented in various areas of her body have taken Gemma and her until she was bed ridden and unable to walk with acute reactive arthritis. Gemma husband on a journey that was prescribed corticosteroids and has shaped their lives chemotherapy medication and endured all the nasty side effects; she was allergic to the first treatment and started to waste away as she lost her mobility, only able to hobble with a stick, her face swollen from steroids until she looked like a “lollipop”. Gemma’s family cared for her over the ensuing months, nursing her, washing her hair, taking care of her basic needs. This vibrant adventurer had been reduced to invalid. On observation one might have assumed she battled addiction or AIDS. Gemma recovered. One of her greatest joys was to walk unaided, barefoot, on sand; something that had been too painful for her to do during her illness. In the re-telling of her journey, she concludes that this experience has affected everything. As a clinical psychologist, it has been powerful in changing her understanding of chronic pain in her clients and has increased her compassion and understanding of suffering. In her marriage, she and Gabe have reached a deeper, richer appreciation of each other; more “together” than before; best friends. In her spiritual walk, she has known the reality of God every step of the way. In her physicality, a determination never to take her mobility and health for granted. Who would have thought or even imagined that a cultural adventure to India and a visit to a friend would have taken 28

Gemma and her husband on a journey that has shaped their lives so significantly? Looking at our lives, it’s a good thing to see how they fit perspective-wise into this story. If we see our issues in the light of issues families in India face; the lepers, the school kids, those living on the streets, the sick, maybe we would realise we can cope. Perhaps the ‘stuff’ we are facing is on a par with that, but we’ve looked beyond our own situations for a while. This happens in life. We make a decision, chart a course and then it changes. Sickness, death, financial crisis, divorce, force us to re-evaluate and walk another road. Stories like Gemma’s help us see that, in looking back, it’s the sum of our experiences that make us who we are. As holiday time approaches, Gemma and Gabe are more than ready to begin exploring again. Here’s what the brochure for their next destination says, “Well informed, eloquent and oh-soromantic, the ‘City of Light’ is a philosopher, a poet, a crooner. As it always has been, Paris is a million different things to a million different people.” Travel safe Gemma and Gabe.

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Olympic Dreaming When an Olympic dream becomes a reality, it’s a combination of several factors. Rachel Lovell says, “Don’t give up … ever” and the daily life she lives demonstrates this. 32

“Don’t give up ... ever!”

The debate between nature and nurture is ongoing. Are we born into something or are we made into something? Are we naturally athletic or can we be trained? Are we born Olympians or can we be raised up? In Rachel Lovell’s opinion, it’s a combination of these things - talent, determination, support and an absolute belief that you can achieve your goal. Rachel is one of four women in the Australian Kayakers team set to compete in London in August. A brief look at her life shows her success could very well support her opinion. Born in the UK, Rachel became involved in Kayaking because her father introduced the sport into the village where she grew up. At school, she excelled at running, hurdles, hockey, netball and swimming, until her mum insisted she narrow down her choices! It was clear that she had plenty of talent. At seven years of age, she started racing as her brothers were in the Commonwealth team and she also wanted to be. This started a career of competition, building on her talent as a sportswoman, 34

parenting groups

Family is everything

her sights set on the Olympics. Missing the Beijing and the Athens games due to pregnancy and injury, she then looked towards London three years ago, when she emerged from temporary retirement. Talent is the starting point, but it’s not enough by itself. Talent needs to be part of something more. Rachel has expressed her determination with the motto “Don’t give up…Ever!” In her retirement, she continued running and maintaining fitness at the gym. The exercise became her “me” time. On returning to paddling when her youngest son was two, she felt good about being back in the water, so she started to set herself some goals. She had already competed at eight World Championships, six European Championships, training and competing all over Europe, America, South Africa, Japan and New Zealand. She has made World Championship finals in multiple distances, including 200m, 500m and 1000m, in K1, K2s, and K4s. The road back started with finals and nationals building to world championship levels. Her achievements have not been easy to come by; she trains all year round, with up to 16 training sessions per week, including kayaking, running, weight training, and swimming while also being a full-time mum to two busy boys. Her everyday life has revolved around a disciplined training regime, starting at 5:15am in the water, going to the gym and finishing back in the water for the last couple of hours before bed. As the days quickly pass, excitement and training intensity build. There are several team camps both here and in London plus two >

Great children, whatever their age, need great parents and with the right tools anyone can be a great parent! Whether you are a grandparent, parenting with a partner, a sole parent, a blended or foster family Toolbox has something to offer. If you are looking for practical strategies, inspiration, encouragement and insight then a Toolbox parenting course at Goodlife Community Centre is for you. THE TEEN YEARS (12+yrs) Weekend Intensive. Friday 20th July 7.00pm to 8:30pm and Saturday 21st 9.00am to 4:30pm A comprehensive manual, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea provided. No childcare is available. Registration deadline 3rd July. Cost $75.00 THE MIDDLE YEARS (6-12yrs) August 7th, 14th and 21st from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Morning tea and a comprehensive manual provided. Creche is available on request. Registration deadline 24th July. Cost $75.00 GOODLIFE | 100 Buderim Pines Dr, Buderim e | kids@goodlife.org.au p | 5444 2126 f | 07 5444 3603 w| www.goodlife.org.au 35

“You’ve got to set your goal on that gold medal... If you don’t set your goal on it, you’re never going to get it.”

World Championship events to compete in as warm ups to the big event in July. Rachel, who calls the Sunny Coast home, displays a very real commitment to her fellow team members. This involves hours of paddling together, trying out different combinations, working hard to find the fastest one. The four in the boat are not necessarily the fastest individually, but that they are the ones who can work together best. Bringing out each other’s strengths; trusting the abilities of the teammates; building each up; bonding as a team. There is real wisdom in this – wisdom anyone could apply to life. Taking stock of where she has been and where she is going, Rachel is convinced that an integral part of her success has been the support she has received. She cannot stress enough that credit must go to those around her for all their on going support of her dream.

She mentions the Sunshine Coast Kayaking club, her local gym, her husband Geoff, her extended family, and her many friends. These groups of people have been with her through “thick and thin”. She does not take this aspect of her achievement for granted and is truly appreciative of them and their various contributions. In a recent interview, Rachel commented, “You’ve got to set your goal on that gold medal, if you don’t set your goal on it, you’re never going to get it.” This isn’t pie in the sky, it is an absolute conviction, a rock solid belief that her dream is entirely achievable and to even think that it’s not is detrimental to everything. This belief is extended to the abilities of her coach, husband Geoff. She says he knows her abilities; he knows her; he knows how to make her go her fastest; he knows her weaknesses; he knows what motivates her. Part of the Olympic journey is letting go of >

her personal coach and believing in the ability of the Australian Women’s coach, who will do her best to lead this team to gold. Such a strong drive and conviction is also about believing in your teammates, knowing that they want the dream as much as you do, and that they are the strongest and the fastest in that team. Believing this leaves no time for petty issues; it’s about focusing on the job at hand, quickly sorting out disagreements and moving on.

support, how much more could happen in our everyday lives! Think seriously about Rachel’s dream, her commitment and her training schedule. Now think about the woman in the queue at Woolies, the mum picking up her kids at school, playing with them, nursing them when they are sick, the wife doing the housework and planning meals. Imagine if these two worlds collided. Impossible you say. Remarkable I say, and then I introduce you to Rachel Lovell – Olympian who lives in our local community and is part of our everyday world. Rachel and her dream and her ordinary life here on the coast help us to dream and maybe do the remarkable, even the impossible!

It’s about focusing on the job at hand, quickly sorting out disagreements and moving on.

So what do you think? Do you agree with Rachel about the essential components that go towards achieving an Olympic dream? So much of what she says is applicable to every day life. If we all took what we are good at, determined to add to it skills or training, believed in what we can achieve and became part of group that gives and receives

LOVE

FROM BEST SELLING AUTHOR

LOVE COMES SOFTLY JANETTE OKE

GOO

SERIES

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST TV

CHECK WWW.ACCTV.COM.AU FOR BROADCAST TIMES

recipe

- Dotty's Shortbread -

Meth od Sieve flour, rice flour and sugar into a bowl. Rub in butter and knead until it forms a smooth paste.

Ingredients + 225g plain flour + 115g rice flour + 115g castor sugar + 225g butter + pinch of salt

Turn on to floured board and shape as desired. Prick with a fork. Place on cold greased baking tray, cook in a slow oven (140-150C) until pale brown about 45 minutes to an hour.

enjoy xo

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Friday 27 July at CafĂŠ Goodlife from 6pm - 8:30pm. Make sure to book, places fill quickly! Please make payment per person with booking before 2:00pm on Wednesday the 25th of July.

MAIN: Roast Turkey with cranberry and nut stuffing Baked Ham with honey mustard

both with potato gratin, vegetables in season and a rich gravy

DESSERT: Plum puddings with brandy sauce Berry Trifle

$15.00 p/p $5.00

GOODLIFE | 100 Buderim Pines Dr, Buderim Q 4556 e | cafe@goodlife.org.au p | 07 5444 7281 41

regular

happenings Come and find a place where you belong...

Justice of The Peace

Settle Petal Baby Clinic

Most Mondays @ 9am admin@goodlife.org.au

Every Wednesday @ various times settle@settlepetal.com

Goodlife Mums Group

Special Needs Support Group

Every 2nd Tuesday @ 10am 0422 985 372

Every Wednesday @ 9.30am women@goodlife.org.au

Sunny Coast Sisters Cancer Support Group

Chit Chat Social Group for Women 50+

2nd Tuesday of every month @ 2pm sharlenehunter@dodo.com

Every Wednesday @ 10am women@goodlife.org.au

Playgroup

Good English Conversational English Classes

Tuesday and Wednesday mornings @ 10.30am kids@goodlife.org.au Kindermuzik Various days shazbrown@sctelco.net.au Go Frills Musical show for under 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Every Wednesday & Friday @ 10.30am russell@gofrills.com

Every Wednesday @ 4pm goodenglish@goodlife.org.au Gymbaroo Multiple days & times www.gymbaroosunshinecoast.com Swim School Operating six days a week swimschool@goodlife.org.au

Goodlife Community Centre | www.goodlife.org.au 42

Goodlife Women Small Group Bible Study Thursdays during school term @ 9.30am women@goodlife.org.au Sunshine Coast Computer Club Every Thursday @ 12.30pm sccc@internode.on.net Bookclub Last Friday of every month @ 9.30am lins1@westnet.com.au Friday Night Kids (grades 2-7) Fridays during school term @ 5.30pm kids@goodlife.org.au

Church Services Every Sunday @ 8.15am, 10am & 6.30pm admin@goodlife.org.au Kids Church Every Sunday @ 10am kids@goodlife.org.au Goodlife Gym Class Timetable & Opening Hours on Website www.goodlife.org.au Futsal, Netball, Badminton Indoor, Various Evenings sport@goodlife.org.au

Youth (grades 7-12)

CafĂŠ Goodlife Great Food, Amazing Coffee

Every Friday night @ 7pm youth@goodlife.org.au

Opening Hours on Website www.goodlife.org.au

Little Kickers Every Saturday @ 8am www.littlekickers.com.au

07 5444 2126 | 100 Buderim Pines Drive, Buderim 43

FRA G MENT S OF THE MIND

sand Living life here on the coast, or anywhere else, it is easy to take our surroundings for granted. The striking beauty becomes everyday unnoticed familiarityâ&#x20AC;Ś The chorus of bird songs easily becomes background noiseâ&#x20AC;Ś The ocean expanse fades to a blue-gray backdrop, the sand just an irritant. I try to remind myself to find wonder in the little things.

Recently, as we have taken time in the late afternoon to walk Point Cartwright and take in the cooling autumn air, I have found there is something soothing and centering as we watch the sun drift into the West making way for the night sky’s lights.

lurking amongst the fibres awaiting the next opportunity to remind me.

By the time I get back to the car after a stroll along the shore I find sand everywhere. I don’t know how it gets in where it gets. It’s carried on the breeze, flicked up by my feet, stuck to the backs of my legs, grains in my pockets and stuck to my shirt.

They can either become irritants or I can let them be reminders.

I always do my best to shake them off and leave it behind but by the time I get home and get out of the car there they are again. On my seat and on the floor… grains of sand. Later in the evening as I climbed into bed I couldn’t believe it. SAND! I don’t know where it was hiding but now it has made it’s way home and under my covers. It just has a way of getting into everything and then a little while later when least expected it makes its appearance and reminds me of the day. Well, now it is somewhere down in my carpet next to the bed but I’m sure it’s still there

These grains are a simple part of the day and are participants in the wonder if I allow them to be.

A great songwriter penned these words. “How precious to me are your thoughts O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand on the shore.” All around me! Finding me in the most unexpected moments. Reminding me of the day, of the journey, of the surrounding presence, the enduring love, the pursuit. Every created thing, every bird song, every breath of wind, every grain of sand reminding me of God’s thoughts toward me. Even though I may sometimes try to shake them off they have a way of finding me. Even when I try to avoid them or think I’ve forgotten about them they are still there finding me. I need reminding… Maybe it’s time for another trip to the beach.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.â&#x20AC;? Albert Einstein