I'm back

A dagwood dog at the Brisbane Ekka

Being back home in Australia, I found myself just being naturally relaxed.  Actually, I have not felt so relaxed for ages.  This felt experience reflected my three-fold theme for my time away: 

re-create 

re-generate 

re-connect. 

So has been my time.  I can say that as I return home to My Bangkok.

My time back home in Australia was focused on people who have been part of my life, for so long, and my life experiences in reconnecting with them.  It was not about the usual work regime in my life. 

Whether it was 

being at the school, where I was chaplain 28 years ago, for an uplifting mass;

visiting where I was parish priest 21 years ago and seeing the renovated church and the new school, I envisioned;

being with family and close friends, taking time with them, savouring them; 

talking with significant others and sharing their trials and achievements in their daily, life struggles; 

or seeing my country and home city with new eyes; 

I reconnected, re-generated, re-created and so naturally became so relaxed.  Thanks be to God.  

It has been a timely reminder for me to keep my eyes on what really matters in life.  As I say so often, life is about being, not doing.  Well, live it, I say to myself. 

Life is about people and sharing kindness, taking time to be with them, being silent with them, listening to them, being comfortable with them.  That has been the welcome gift of my six weeks away.  May I never forget this this lesson, as I get back into the rough and tumble of daily life.    

May I always savour that disgusting dagwood dog.