Perhaps it was the glorious autumn sunshine.
Or maybe it was the pristine waters, overlooking the vastness of the Tasman Sea.
I had just gone for a run with a friend and we had a pleasant breakfast afterwards.
Heading home, basking in the beautiful Sunday morning sunshine, I started thinking how gosh darn lucky I was to have such easy access to all this breathtaking nature. That enjoying a quiet cup of tea with proper pretty china was an effortless treat in this privileged country of ours.
Life is never perfect. But when you strip it back to its simplicities, there’s an imminent glory that we all too often take for granted.
The morning was perfectly accentuated with cool, casual croons in the car radio.
It was time for caller’s song requests.
“We have our next caller! Hi Rendi!” greeted the DJ.
“Now, where is that name from?” he continued to ask.
“I’m from Indo-neshia” came the cheery reply in an accent I was all too familiar with.
“And how are you today?”
“I good! Really good! In fact, today I celebrate 14 years since arriving in Australia!!!”
I could feel Rendi’s electric smile beam through the radio waves.
“Oh, happy anniversary, mate! And what song can we play for you to celebrate?”
“Bee Gees, please! ‘How Deep Is Your Love’!!”
And as the opening bars began, quiet waves of nostalgia rippled through, getting me a little chocked up inside.
My eldest brother was a teenager when we had first arrived on the shores of Australia. And it was this very song that happened to be big at the time. God love my brother, but I can’t begin to tell you how many times I heard the Bee Gees blaring from his room.
Over 3 decades ago when my parents made a paramount decision to leave our family and friends behind, there was little idea of what our future held.
I look back and realize how gutsy my parents were. To drag us all to an unknown country, bringing very little except hope to start a better life; to seek new opportunities; to be guaranteed of receiving a good education.
Above all, to be given the chance to work hard and be remunerated accordingly.
“I dedicate this to all my friends out there!”
Hearing Rendi’s jovial voice, I wanted to reach through the car speakers and give him a big hug.
I am undoubtedly grateful for what this country’s provided for me and my family.
It hasn’t been without difficult challenges, not to mention moments of loneliness and isolation.
But migrating to another country isn’t without suffering of some form.
It’s the achievement of building a successful life in a foreign land and calling it home. Finally reaching that much wanted sense of stability and safety. And to realize that this is the place we were blessed to find it all.
That makes it all worthwhile.
So, I quietly celebrated with Rendi. And the Bee Gees.
Joining the fab Jess for IBOT
Robomum says
Beautiful. Isn’t it funny how we can celebrate triumphs and share losses with complete strangers? When they remind us of our own stories, some people hit a nerve. Rendi is obviously still cheering to be here.
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Ai Sakura says
Now you’ve got that song in my head! :p
Moving away from family and friends is so hard! I’m glad you and your family have fitted well into your new home country. Took a lot of tears and fears, but worth it I guess 😉
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Kristyn says
Feeling the same way about australia. I’ve always been happy I ended up here. Oh and Bee Gees is so asian so yay!
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Becc says
Ahhh, one can never have too much Bee Gee’s in their life or an appreciation for the simple things in life.
We are all lucky to be in this country, no matter how we arrived here. Your parents were pretty gutsy and you get to reap the benefits. That is some kind of love 🙂
Becc @ Take Charge Now
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Daisy says
I want to hug Rendi!!! I want to hug you! Not so much te Bee Gees. I get the impression they would smell like camphor balls…
Daisy recently posted..Oh, the horror.
Seana says
Stop making me weep Grace!! I’m running around like a headless chook cos three of us fly to Scotland tomorrow night. Emigration brings with it huge emotional issues. And real gratitude too. Blooming love living here, absolutely. But wish Mum was closer. Waaahhhh
mamagrace71 says
You’ll be there soon, Seana! Wipe the tears and have a bloody awesome time in your homeland 🙂 x
Emily @ Have a laugh on me says
You’ve just given me goosebumps – Australia is a better place with you in Grace! Em xx
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Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
Oh Grace, this makes me teary, but happy too.
My husband arrived as a little boy with his family from China just over 30 years ago, and they too didn’t really know what they were coming to.
I wish I had been there for him way back then, in his first lonely years, and am forever grateful that they made that trip. Thank you for this beautiful post. xxxxx
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Kathy says
Hi Grace – what a lovely post. You have captured Rendi’s passion and excitement and amplified it with your own. We have a pretty great country. We lived in Canada for 12 months in 2011 and while it was a wonderful experience I did get homesick at times and found myself crying to ‘I still call Australia home’. thanks for sharing.
Josefa @always Josefa says
living here is every reason to celebrate – I never take it for granted or forget how lucky I am
I love how music can just take a moment and etch it into immortality in a way that nothing else can
lovely reflection Grace xx
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Tahlia @ the parenting files says
wow… 14 years… such a long time. We truly are blessed, especially when there is so much other bad stuff happening around the world. Anything with the Bee Gee’s is good enough to celebrate xox
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Rhianna says
Thanks for the lovely reminder about just how lucky we are if we take the time to stop and look. fairy wishes and butterfly kisses lovely
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Rina says
Oh Grace, I don’t know why but after reading this I feel like hugging you. Migrating to other country is indeed not easy. I am glad that you can finally embrace the new life and kudos to your parents for the the courage to seek better future for you and family to migrate to new country. I would love to visit Australia one day 🙂
Twitchy says
Superbly sweet. Another great post. Anything with emotion, sentimentality and a retro soundtrack sucks me in like a baby. Go Grace, Rendi and your brother! #teamIBOT
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Rachel @ The Kids Are All Right says
You’ve told this story beautifully Grace. Gratitude is such a beautiful act – and as Becc said above, we should all be grateful. It is often immigrants who remind me of that, when I see how grateful they are. I do understand it is not without sadness, and I totally respect that. In an ideal world people could live with the freedoms and advantages of this country, in the one that they were born in, if that is what they want. But selfishly, I am glad you are here. 🙂
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Aroha @ Colours of Sunset says
I love when a song takes us back to memories we have buried deep within and sends us down a path of reminiscing. And now I will be singing “And it’s me you need to show, how deep is your love, deep is your love, how deep is your love, I really neeed to know” all day. Thanks! 😉 x Aroha
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EssentiallyJess says
Such a lovely story Grace. Imagine how different your life would have been, id you had stayed in Indo?
Oh and how cute are those tea cups?
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Rita says
What a beautiful post Grace. It reminds me the journey my parents took when they left Lebanon to go to Canada to give us, their children, a better future.
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Lynne says
I also took the plunge some years ago – just moved across the ditch by myself and I knew no one here – scary to say the least but I have never looked back, hubby’s family also made the decision to emigrate here from Sri Lanka – also worked out well for them although I think my mother in law in the latter stages of her life would have liked to return…
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Lara @ This Charming Mum says
I think there’s a Bee Gees song for almost any occasion. I love the way music makes us reflect on our journeys. Lovely post Grace x
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Kylez @ A Study in Contradictions says
I didn’t get a chance to comment on this post the other dy Grace but I wanted to tell you that it’s lovely. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to pack up everything and move to another country and I am always in awe of people who do and make it work, so inspiring!
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Lisa Wood says
Gorgeous – and yes your parents were very brave to move so far away from all that they knew to a place of unknown.
It is funny how much we do take for granted in our country – and how we got about life not remembering to be grateful.
Love the sound of going for a run and having Tea with a friend – gosh I miss my time out!!
Bee Gee’s was one band I had to research in High School 🙂
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Winnie @ Bubfriendly says
Australia is a great and beautiful country! Rendi made a fantastic choice as did your parents Grace!!! Gotta love the Bee Gees!!!!
Mrs Holsby says
Mister H is a Dutchie, and my SIL is a Pom. I think it’s more and more common these days, now the world is getting smaller, but leaving family is never easy.
Creating a new family still smacks of sadness of times…. but we love an excuse for an oversea jaunt!
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Mrs Holsby says
one day I’ll proof read before I press submit 😉
Probs not.
Doh.
Mrs Holsby recently posted..You’re not Wonder Woman, and that’s ok.
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit says
How beautiful!
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Nami says
Funny – we just heard an Andy Gibb song at the restaurant today. My husband completely forgot about him and all I could think was, imagine having four sons THAT successful in music…
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