I am so happy to have come across your blogs that I burst out to my family the next morning, that I have found my inspirations once again.
I have always love Perth. I have been here for some years now and I seemed to have lost that "special feelings". I wouldn't say I am bored. Maybe time flies so fast and my kids now have grown up and I also missed every bit of the remoteness and quietness I cherished about Perth. Maybe now there are more immigrants and roads get busier that I don't feel that 'special feelings' anymore. But.............then came your blog and your experiences coming over to Perth.
Some of your experiences remind me of the times we went through too. Thanks for bringing back "that special feelings" of Perth I onced knew.
Say my hello to Jen and wonderful Albany.
Cheers
******
Dear Jennifer,
Thank you for this email. Recently when I was driving along Spencer Road towards Kelmscott, I remember telling myself how in awe I was with the sight of the Darling Scarp when I first came. After driving past so many times, I did not feel the initial excitement anymore. I remember someone commenting in this blog last year about being immune to anything good here after a few years being here.
Like any human being, it is easy to remember and appreciate things that you can see than not. When you wake up tomorrow morning, go to your balcony/verandah/courtyard (whatever you have), close your eyes, take a deep breath and hold it there for a few seconds shivering in the Winter cold and appreciate the abundance pure goodness of what you cannot see.
There are other areas I appreciate about Perth other than what I cannot see, they are what I;
1) Cannot feel - the stress level I used to have
2) Cannot hear - the noise that used to irritate me to no end
3) Cannot smell - the haze, the chicken poop smell at North-West Singapore where I used to stay
4) Cannot do - staying at work beyond 9pm
5) Cannot touch - the constant stickiness on my skin and face
These are simple things that keeps me constantly happy every single day here.
Absolutely. Been here almost 4 years, and in the rush of daily living, I forget to appreciate all that we've gained since coming to Australia. But sometimes on the quiet drive home after dropping the kids off at school, I take in the big stretch of blue sky and enjoy the fact that there are no tall buildings blocking the skyline, that my drive home is not marred by stop-and-start traffic. I take my dog to the park and see mothers and not maids with the children. In my garden, I hear the wind in the trees and the song of birds instead of traffic noise. No regrets.
ReplyDeleteYes, people pretty much sense and respond to the environment. I am enjoying being here for the same reasons you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteWe do take things for granted once we have them. Our partners in life and loved ones included. I'm as guilty as anyone.
So before we go out to the balcony or the riverside to smell the fresh air, we should give our loved ones a hug and remind ourselves what we have done for each other :) Or give our parents in Sg a call.
Have a nice WA day !