Tag Archives: the aussie perspective

I am always held spellbound by semantics and linguistics; words can say so much and mean so many different things to different people. This struck me the other day regarding the word ‘recreation’. Think about the word recreation; it might conjure images of fun, down time, sports and hobbies, time with the kids, relaxation and enjoyment. It’s the time spent away from your working life, the chores and the 'should be doing' tasks your mind keeps reminding you of.

I awakened the other morning and was confronted with an idea, a spark, a concept and really, an inner awakening. We, as humans, invest a large amount of time avoiding fear, requesting safety at every turn and ensuring we are stepping on sure footing. We make decisions not to go sky-diving or abseiling, horse-riding or snow-skiing because we have fears; fears of heights, fears of dark alleys, fears of creepy crawlies. My "awakening" came in the form of realizing that we sabotage ourselves every day, blindly allowing fear to invade and infiltrate our happiness and joy. You know why? Because we give permission for our ego to reign with the same fear we avoid in the physical world.

We are laid bare by the assumptions of who we are before we even have a chance to explain. Perhaps they are not even listening. Part of being present is releasing ourselves from the idea of how things are, or should be, because of the past or the cultures surrounding us; releasing assumptions of others and more importantly assumptions of ourselves.

When we are at school, we are subjected to all sorts of tests; on the spot math tests, spelling tests, end of year exams, high school certificates and the list goes on. In the early days the tests are quick, painless and mostly fun. Then they become more serious, there is study to be undertaken and there is the need to find the ability to cope with the testing process. It can be a nerve-wracking experience. What it does do is ‘test’ students (pardon the pun), it makes them think, it gives a clearer understanding of their abilities, their short-falls, where they can learn more and what they excel at; in the testing platform. What happens when we leave school though?