Category: That’s Life

For years we’ve been urged to buy Australian Made, not just to ensure a healthy balance of payments, but to support our local industries and keep Australians in jobs. Yet traditionally, Australians have not been kind to our own music industry and the songs released by Aussie artists.

Overseas, money and marketing techniques using all media formats have the ability to create stars, virtually overnight. Whereas the singing Aussie battler waiting to be discovered, has often gone hungry between one night stands in country pubs.

We should be proud of our ‘homegrown’ artists and the songs they write and perform. Just as we band together whenever there is a major catastrophe such as bushfires, floods and droughts, we always need to be conscious that our survival as a nation depends on us supporting each other.

For every Jessica Mauboy and Paul Kelly, there are many other Australian artists hoping we will buy their new releases, rather than the ‘one hit wonders’ from what are often overseas, overnight stars. Buying is the operative word, because just downloading music from illegal free websites doesn’t put money into our Aussie artist’s pockets.

There are many Aussies with talent, equal to, or better than, that of their overseas counterparts. However, it is difficult to be accepted in other countries if you can’t first be accepted in your own.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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In today’s busy world it’s so easy to get caught up in the events of the day that we tend to forget the lessons we should have learned from the yesterdays of our life.

It’s good to take time out occasionally to stop and think about where we’ve been and what, or who, has influenced our life.

The European occupation of Australia doesn’t give us a lengthy history but encased in our growth as a Nation is the legend of ‘Anzac’.

It’s our responsibility to ensure those who come after us remember our men and women who served in the wars and confrontations of the past. Australians, both of European and Aboriginal backgrounds, many of whom were volunteers, served in the armed forces and many gave their lives for this country.

The Good Book tells us that ‘greater love has no one, than those who lay down their lives for their friends’.

Anzac Day is a good day to stop and look back at those who loved us enough to fight and die for us.

We may choose to commemorate the day, by attending the local march through the streets, being at the RSL Dawn Service or just taking part in a simple local driveway gathering in our street. Whatever the way, we should try and ensure our children are involved in some way with us.

It’s also a good day to tell the kids the story of Australians at war in the past and why we enjoy the freedom we have in this country today.  Maybe we’d better make sure we know the answers ourselves first.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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Until we experience the loss of someone very near and dear to us, it’s impossible to know the pain, anguish and feelings of sheer desolation that surround you during the grieving period.

For a while, life can appear empty and without purpose. It’s hard to do anything with any fervour,  We can go through stages of anger, blame and deep remorse, sometimes all on the one day.

It’s at these times when being a friend can mean just being there, listening and supporting each other.

Reaching out to others in need, can often simply mean just giving up some of our personal time to be with them and care for them.

A friends presence alone, often without even the need for words, can be a powerful means of support and encouragement.

Let’s make sure we are always there for each other in times of need. Having a friend’s shoulder to lean on, and even cry on, can help alleviate much of the pain.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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Being an overly cautious driver can sometimes be considerably frustrating for those drivers forced to follow behind.

Now don’t get me wrong!  I’m not advocating we shouldn’t be careful when we drive, but I am concerned that some drivers persist in driving very slowly, their eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead, seemingly, oblivious to what is happening around them.

When we are forced to travel behind the very cautious driver, we must learn patience and wait for the right time to overtake. There is no point in honking a horn, waving a fist or winding down the window and letting out a string of not so choice words.  Road rage will only fire up our own frustrations.

Being patient and tolerant with others are virtues that can not be acquired, they have to be learnt.  Some people’s journey through life follows a similar pattern to the over cautious driver.  By not looking to the right or left, our understanding of the world around us can often become distorted and even self-centred.

Providing an environment where more lateral thinking is possible can sometimes be threatening to our cautious individual’s security.  Helping each other broaden our outlook on life needs to be performed with loving care.

Being gentle with one another will help us grow in maturity and wisdom and it could well keep our blood pressure at an acceptable level, for when next we are caught behind the cautious driver.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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There is one piece of wisdom my mum imparted to me which I will never forget.  She used to say, “A friend is one who knows all about you and yet still wants to be your friend.” There is another version of that which I read recently, “You will always be my friend because you know too much about me”.

Some people see the number of ‘friends’ they have on Facebook , Instagram and the like as a measure of their popularity and they often boast of the numbers of so called ‘friends’ they have accumulated.

During our lifetime we can make many acquaintances that we can easily confuse ourselves by calling them friends.  If we’re honest with ourselves, we could probably count our number of real friends on one hand.

Some people choose to have a small number of sincere friends. Others are so busy trying to be who they think their so-called friends want them to be, that they lose touch with who they really are themselves.  Real friends for them can be hard to find.

A real friend is one who will give of themselves and their time without wanting anything in return. It seems, to have a friend, we must first be a friend.  And to keep a friend, we must have the courage to be honest with each other and with ourselves.

So, there’s a friendly reminder. Everyone needs a friend.  So let’s be one!

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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We can walk along the seashore in the calm period just before dawn.  We can watch the early morning sun rise majestically through the mists on the horizon. We can see our footprints in the sand, rediscovering a land washed clean of yesterday’s habitation by the overnight tide.

We can lie in bed and listen to the rain on our roof and we can feel the freshness in the air following a summertime storm. We can sense anticipation as blossom buds prepare to burst and herald the coming of Spring.

We can marvel at the miracle of birth or the love of someone special, whose presence alone makes words unnecessary.

We can climb a mountain, survey the world below and watch the setting sun change the tapestry before us into night. We can hear the bubbling and gurgling of a mountain stream, the roar of a waterfall or the symphony of the birds, constantly active among the upper branches of the forest trees.

We can taste the sweetness of water from a spring and smell the delightful aromas coming from a bakery in the early morning.

There is no doubt about it, we do live in ‘the lucky country’ where we have the freedom to cross State borders without passports or choose the type of climate in which we wish to live.

There are not many other countries in our world where the best things in life are as freely available as here, so let’s be thankful we live in Australia and let’s help each other overcome our individual life’s difficulties, so we can all enjoy what we have around us.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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Each State enjoys its own floral emblem and most large cities have floral festivals or carnivals each year.  Saint Valentines Day is celebrated by sending flowers, often red roses, to that special person in our life.  A bunch of white ‘chrisies’ are the order of the day for Mum on Mothers Day and many a young man going to a ball or school formal has arrived on his girl’s doorstep with a spray or corsage in his hand for her to wear.

Celebrations are usually accompanied by flowers.  Floats decorated for street parades display flowers to attract the onlooker and hospital wards are often full of flowers sent by friends in an effort to assist in the healing process.

Some people prefer dried flowers because of their lasting beauty, while others write songs, poetry and stories where flowers feature prominently. Bowls of flowers are especially popular topics for budding artists.

Unfortunately, men are usually the givers, rather than the receivers, of flowers.  If we are seen in the street with a bunch of flowers purchased for our wife or girlfriend’s birthday,(even though we might be holding them upside down), our mates will still give us some odd looks.

The newsreader on television or the master-of-ceremonies at a formal function can comfortably wear a carnation, or small rose, and get away with it.  Barry Humphries can extol the virtues of the gladioli; but it seems unfortunate that males have to be ‘pushing up daisies’ before they are inundated with floral tributes.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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It’s not only kids who get frightened of the dark. Many adults have this fear and often they, like many youngsters, can’t go to sleep unless there is a light on in the room. The sight of a spider on the wall can bring some out in a sweat and they can’t rest until the crawley is removed.

We often get anxious and even afraid about things which we believe to be inevitable. Some even worry to the point where they are physically sick. It’s difficult to realise that our fears for the future may never eventuate, when in our mind the problems seem so real.

Fear is a negative force that can dominate our mind and create imaginary visions of horrific proportions that powerfully override even our sanest thoughts.  Yet we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t get scared occasionally.

We can’t help getting anxious about things that we must confront during our life, but we need to be careful we don’t become fearful for something in the future over which we have no control.

It seems that the only thing to really fear is fear itself.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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He gave me his home-made Father’s Day present wrapped in last year’s birthday paper. The strained look on his face told me he wasn’t sure whether I’d like it.

After much effort, I managed to break through what seemed like metres of sticky tape and carefully unwrapped ‘the present’.

At first I wasn’t sure what it was. – A conglomeration of bits of timber offcuts, some rusty tinned fruit cans and lots of nails. Attached were some coloured plastic blocks which used to be part of his leggo set, until the dog chewed into them. “The Present”, even had wheels from his Mecano set.

I looked at it carefully without wanting to spoil the moment by asking what it was.  He said to me, “Dad, do ya think if we could put a motor into it, she’d take off and maybe even get to the moon”.

So! it was a spaceship, I reasoned. “Yes mate!” I replied, “I reckon she’d get to the moon all right”.

“Maybe you and I could go together Dad”, he said skipping off.  Probably in his mind he was already planning a new improved two seater model.

I called out after him, “Hey Son! thanks for the beaut Father’s Day present”.  He turned around and gave me a big smile and was off to find some more bits of timber from the heap under the house.

What’s left of the spaceship still resides on a shelf in my shed today. It’s good being a Father.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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It seems clothing fashion often follows cyclic patterns and industry instigated trends rather than practicality.  While some are keen to follow the direction of the fashion gurus in regard to colour and style, others find great value in dressing in retro gear, often purchased from second hand shops and market stalls. So clothing apparel fashion can generally be seen as one of personal choice.

It is strange how we often experience considerable hardships just to ‘be in fashion’.  Long spiky high heels can be safety hazards for the wearers and skin tight jeans can make some movements a difficult operation. Hair cuts can certainly be fashion statements and clothing and accessories often contain popular manufacturer’s names and logos.

Buying jeans that have that torn, pre-loved look can be an expensive exercise. While it is highly acceptable to the younger generations, it is often viewed by the oldies in our community with questions as to the wearer’s sanity.

Some parents go to considerable expense to keep their children outfitted in the latest fashion, which might be more of a statement about the parents than the kids. Other parents are content to use perfectly good hand-me-downs from older family members which they feel will suffice for the short time they will be used, due to the children’s growing process.

Often we follow fashion trends just to maintain our personal popularity by ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. However, there is no reason why we can’t keep up with current fashion ideas, but let’s be careful about how we project who we are to the world.

I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.

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