It was a winter's day, cold and harsh, the 17th of June, not yet two months ago. Gord as team manager of the Gembrook reserves had to go to Warburton where Gemmy was playing Warby Millgrove. I went with him as he is not confident driving to places he has not before.
Not far from Gembrook about 10am as I drove Gord's car I narrowly missed a large wallaby that jumped out from nowhere seemingly hellbent on leaving an impression on the front of the Skoda. We got to the footy ground on time, the same ground I took Gord and Rob to as players for the Gembrook U/12's cricket some two decades earlier. On that occasion we were bowled out for 9 runs team total with young Rob, aged 10, not out 0 after stonewalling for nearly half an hour in an heroic effort.
So I had my share of nostalgia as I said "Good luck" to Gord and took a walk into town. I was looking for a needle threader, you know one of those little fine wire things that you stick though the eye of a needle then put the cotton through it then when you pull it back out hey presto the needle is threaded. The one I had that had given me two decades or more good service had broken some time ago and I could not find one to buy anywhere at Emerald or wherever I asked in recent times, leaving me unable to sow a button on clothing for maybe 12 months.
It was so nice to be on my own meandering in the Warburton shopping centre main street. In a bric a brac store I found a needle threader in a sowing kit for $3, then a little further down talked to a lady in a lace and things type shop who introduced me to self threading needles and I was so happy to have solved this problem that I celebrated with a curry pie at the bakery, following a pork roll at a small Vietnamese cafe. Absolutely delicious both. In between all this joy I shopped in an opp shop and bought two books for a dollar or two each. One of these caught my eye because it was a collection of stories, " Australian Stories for the Heart". I noticed the name Margaret Court on the front page as one of the contributors, and as she was a large figure in my early recollection of sport and had also been front and centre in the news at that time because of her outspoken comment against same sex marriage, I made the purchase.
Back to the footy frankly I had no interest in watching so I took a walk along the Yarra River. I sat on a bench seat in some sort of playground area enjoying some winter sunshine. Looking into the river at the water gently cascading over rocks it occurred to me that the scene would have been the same for centuries probably, same river, same rocks worn smooth over however long. Two ducks came down with the current like two little boats bobbing and weaving, easy as you like, just steering their way through with minimal effort, like magic. At that moment I felt close to God. Whatever happens to me or the nation or the world that river most likely will flow exactly the same for many more centuries and the ducks will ride the current.
Gembrook Reserves got wopped and the seniors also, and as a matter of update both sides have not won a game for the season to now with I think only one game to go. The winter dragged on with merciless cold until Lib and I took off for West Australia on July10. I took my Australian Story book and read a bit each night in the campervan as of course we had no television. I was surprised to find it was a book of religious stories, mostly with a theme of getting to know Jesus. The Margaret Court one was about her desperate battle with depression that happened to her after her tennis career was over and she was married into the very wealthy Court family, with the world at her feet she should have enjoyed life to the full but instead she was miserable and in the depths of despair and insomnia and contemplating suicide.
Then she discovered a bible verse 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Over and over she said it day and night and somehow the fear started to diminish. It changed her life completely.
As the debate continues over this marriage equality thing and the plebiscite I have to say I don't agree with same sex marriage. By all means give same sex people who form a civil partnership equal legal rights to that of a married couple, but I agree with Margaret Court that marriage is between a man and a woman. Frankly I don't see why there is so much fuss about it. Margaret Court is entitled to her opinion, and should not be attacked for it. Homosexuals can live as they like, and should not be discriminated against in law or otherwise.
Each night on our holiday I said to Lib I'll just read a little more of my Jesus book before turning out the light. Many of the stories were quite corny and over the top, most only a few pages long, some maybe five or six. But they were all easy and interesting, some quite inspiring, and one in particular riveted me. Without going through the book to find it, it related the story about the crippled man whose friends in desperation to get him to see the miracle worker Jesus came in through the roof to a meeting of big wigs and Jesus. They lowered their friend down and Jesus said to him "Take up your mat and walk", and he did.
The first week of our holiday I was in much discomfort with my rheumatoid arthritis, more pain in my upper back and shoulders and ribs than I have had for a long time. We crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and I soaked up the warmth and the coral reef and the smiles of every man and woman I met. As we made our way back south my pain had eased and by the time we were in Kalbarri I felt fantastic, no pain and just feeling so well. We watched numerous whales from the cliff as they spouted and breached and the world looked so beautiful I turned and said to Lib, "I think I'm cured."
Now I don't know about that really. But let me say, as I prepare for surgery to repair two hernias this coming Tuesday, I did not take my medication last Monday (methotrexate) nor did I inject my weekly abatacept on Wednesday, on advice from surgeon who said not to, and I have not collapsed into a painball as I feared. In fact I feel bloody good even with a little soreness about the chestbone and ribs.
And every day I thank God for it and ask for continuing help to get me through.
Yes. I have had a big change of attitude. The funny thing is I don't know what I did with my needle threader and the self threading needle I bought that day. I'm hoping they will turn up.
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