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
