Reflection on Mistakes & Successes…
Throughout life and at most ages, we all learn lessons as we grow. They can be at all levels, from the excellent where we are so happy and over the top of learning something that we can take through our lives. There is the good where we really enjoyed it and are glad it’s happening, with maybe you would like to do it again and again. Then the odd one of Mmm shouldn’t have happened and one I’ll think twice about. To follow a lesson that can bring sadness or even destruction and lose what you have built around you. Every experience we do in life becomes a lesson that we learn and can keep or throw to the side for whatever reason. It’s what we learn with growth with a pearl of better wisdom towards life.
Mixed Emotions…
My Reflection On Aging – I’m 64 and will turn another year older in two months. If there is one thing I hate in life, it is my birthday, the actual day itself. I just cringe, and this is only through turning another year older in life…
I have mixed emotions and feelings about that particular day, the birthday. Now I confuse myself, so if you’re reading this, don’t worry, I’m okay – Lol. I reflect on my previous years and where I am today with the thought that always comes up – I’m okay, it could be worse. Now I lost everything when we divorced and have never seemed to build up to that level. But it was my choice in life as I got into looking after my kids in my own way. I got into coaching sports, mainly AFL, with the dream of turning it into a life ambition. And I did do that, making a very high level in the development coaching side. But it just didn’t seem to get that break to the next level.
Coaching Career…
I had a position where my job was to teach up-and-coming footballers for what is WAFL Level, and if they had the ability and work ethic for AFL, the highest form of Australian Rules Football. But it was more the passion and love of the sport than the income side—I was paid for it, but I also had a full-time job to get ahead in life, which I did as a gardener, working 9 hours a day. I juggled the hours so I could coach from three onwards, five days a week, and all weekend.
I also made sure that my two kids were going forward in life and I was always there for them. It took me to state football, working with WAFL clubs, Subiaco, South Fremantle, Swans & Perth where I’d work with specialized coaches in nutrition, media, techniques, and life coaches. Around nine of us dedicated our time and lives to the young women and men in the future of AFL football and their dreams of reaching the top.
As head coach, I developed strength and conditioning programs that brought in science coaches of sports. I developed my own strength and conditioning programs for all sports to help athletes in getting as high as they could with their dreams and ambitions to reach the highest level of the sport they were playing.
The Tools Of Strength & Power, Speed, Endurance, Explosive Starts, Finely Tuned Bodies, Loss Of Weight & Confidence a major key to the program setting the mind that you were going to make it to the best level that you could.
Changing Careers…
Now I cannot say that my life was fucked in any way; I can say, apart from being set in life with my own house or property, happily married or even in a relationship – none of the above. I look at my work experiences and who I’ve met through them – at a young age, I worked in hotels and got to the level of manager, running some of the biggest hotels in Perth at the time. I managed major cleaning companies.
Went back to college and got a diploma as a photographer. I built my own resume in sports photography. Knocked on the doors of our major sports in the city and became the first freelance photographer for major sports for over eight years with – Baseball (Perth Heat), Basketball (Wild Cats), AFL (Westcoast Eagles), Cricket (W.A State Team), Rugby League (Western Force), Cam Racing (Drags, The V8’s, Formula 1, In Adelaide at the time, Car Rally Australia & G.P racing), Surfing (Magazines, Major Board Companies). Loved it, I’d pinch myself that I was photographing the highest level of sports and the athletes that were playing. Met some of the greatest people of all ages that were involved with major sports in some way. It was a dream and my wife and two kids could live comfortably with it.
Just a bit off my work…
A Blink Of An Eye, Dream Shattered…
Then in a blink my dream was shattered a so-called great mate was a heroin addict and stole my gear of around 30 to 40 thousand dollars with camera bodies and lenses – to be the best I had to have the best equipment to succeed in this business, I could never replace them. That was a night I could never forget as I just resigned from four of the major sporting programs and had a very good contract with Chanel 10 & 9 as their sports photographer, I had Nikon, Agva, and clothing stores as major sponsors I was walking advertisement being in front of huge crowds was a great way to advertise their company. I lost everything I worked so hard to achieve in a matter of three minutes destroying me in so many ways as a person.
Shifted To The Coastal Town…
It was a life lesson and a very hard one to swallow, but I also had a wife, two young kids, and a mortgage that needed to be done. I got into landscaping and gardening for a few years before getting back into hotel work. I managed the Denmark Hotel with my wife and kids on the river in Denmark. I kept playing sports as we all need an interest in life besides the everyday living of life.
That was such a great lifestyle and especially for the kids as they were very young. Two years down the track my wife and I got divorced and again life changed as now I was a single dad with an 11 & 8 year old. These are life lessons that come at you fast and quick. Wow, I’m a single dad. We stayed in Denmark, the kids and I, as I wanted them to have the experience of growing up in the best of environments in life. With this new way of life, I got out of the hotel and went on single parents and bartered around town with the farmers, which was a great time. I’d do a week’s work on a farm and the farmer would fill up my freezer with meat. Or on a veggie farm, get fresh veggies for the week. I’d also work with the supplier for firewood and get a ton of firewood. It was a great way to live and be there for the kids in the morning and home in the afternoon.
There were so many lessons in being a single parent as many of us have experienced through different circumstances in life, and one that is so valuable not just because you’re a single parent, being a parent is a lesson and a learning one at that but just being single was a bit more of a lesson as I had a boy and a girl and had to work with two different teens in their growing up through life. I would never say I regretted or hated it as for that I have the best relationships with my two kids that are now adults and the best relationship with the grandkids, I might not have the material things of life but I got a special bond with five of the greatest humans a man could ever ask for.
Back To Uni…
As time went on, I was coaching junior sports and decided to go back to university to get my year 12 and a diploma in sports coaching at the age of 45 haha never too old, and from there, back in Perth, I started my coaching career. Living with the kids, doing two jobs, and doing part-time study, I got my level 1 & 2 strength and conditioning tickets, 1 to 5 development coach, community coaching, nutrition diploma, and many more tickets in sports. I started coaching for many years.
Again life changed. I burnt out with coaching, the development program I created just got me down. I seem to feel at 55 I wasn’t going anywhere in life. For me, the kids are set up in their lives, but I needed more. Now, as I said earlier, I don’t have the material things of life that people dream of and want, but I got my kids that have lived with me since they were young. Through this, I gained my daughter’s husband and two kids, with my son living at home. Not complaining, as it was a really happy environment to live in. I myself just need more in life.
Never Too Old, To Learn…
My daughter was with her horses one night when a lady there suggested to get my Lollipop ticket and would I go north to do FIFO work, jumped at the idea straight away, with no hesitation at all, and one of the best choices I made as setting up my life in a better way for the future. Now being 56 and a green FIFO worker is an experience on its own with different life lessons in front of me, and many to say, so if anything. I learned to live away from home on the two and one, then our company changed us to 21 days straight and 10 off, didn’t mind at all. For me, I wasn’t married and had no relationship to worry about, just me, myself, and I with a way of getting ahead in life.
I was very lucky as the company I was working for put me through some heavy machinery tickets: all rollers, water carts, and front-end loaders. So I went from traffic control to machine operator. I met so many good people, travelled all over the Pilbara, and picked up a camera again where the company would allow me to take some of the best natural landscapes. I’m building up a library to sell through the internet all over the world.
When you think life is going so good there comes a glitch in life that comes with old age, as we get older our bodies are like cars we need service and tuning this become me with a major hip operation. The company had to let me go as I became a health risk, and struggled to walk, sit, and get into the machines. I understood, that Covid19 was well and truly in progress throughout the world, so it brought more lessons into my life and ones that were mentally going to take their toll on me for a few years.
Experiences Of Life Come Into Play…
I arrived back in Perth on the plane knowing as I sat there and was struggling just to get out of the seat I was in trouble in more ways than I wanted. Through being stubborn or the man thing it will be ok I struggled more in everyday living and movement in life. My surgeon was a young one at that but understood my where I was and helped push me closer to the operation which took another 12 months. I had got the shots two of them with no needles no operation as simple as that, one I wasn’t happy about at all as I was not one with the agreement to the government & Covid19 rules… no needles no job, no medical, and many more cant do or be a part off.
The recovery took up to 3 months it should have been a bit more but I pushed it and the surgeon to clear me so I get back into the workforce as it has gone through most of my savings in a matter of 18 months. When I think about it this was just everyday living on a tight budget at that.
Age Didnt Come Into The New Position.
I was very lucky in applying for work. At the first job I applied for, I got an interview straight away, went for a medical, and started straight away. Now I say this as in today’s workforce and society when your middle 50s Mmm just scrape into agile for work, lats 50s you shouldn’t be looking, 60 not interested in you at all and going into the 60s you don’t exist. The company took me on as an operator and groundwork in civil construction very lucky at 62 and a half that I’m there and it’s all away work which I don’t mind, but the good thing is I have work and earn good money to help me get back on my feet in life.
Just Looking Ahead In Life…
I’ve been focused on my goals and looking ahead in life, I understand I’m not too far away from retirement, but I still have a few years of work ahead of me right at this moment I’m planning to do Thailand, Vietnam, & Japan middle of next year for around a 3-month trip between them all. The company has said not a problem to come back and start straight away with the plan of 12 months of work and finishing on a good note with a savings account to be able to retire, that’s the plan but they do change Haha.
In my 64 years of life, I have had so many Lessons through experiences that have been good, exciting, challenging, and sad, but for whatever I have done or achieved they all have been lessons that we learn in life and with age become Wisdom that as I grow I can help the five younger humans off my life, do I regret any of them ( no ) as if it wasn’t for what I’ve done or the directions I have gone through my choices at most times I would not have learnt the lessons I have and have the wisdom to pass on.
#Journey Through Life.
mags64@journeythroughlife.blog
Journey Through Life... 