On Deck With Declan

Hi, Constant Readers.

I would say, for most of us in the Whitsundays, we’re all from somewhere else. There are few of us who were lucky enough to be born on the sandy shores and sun-starched grass of North Queensland. Sure.

But for most, it is a chosen home rather than a given.

With leaving home comes something you might not always tend to: The family garden. We can neglect our siblings, our parents. I know I’m guilty of it. I’m sure some of you reading it are too.

I don’t often speak to my sister; I should more. I don’t message my parents as much as they message me; I should more. I think - certainly in a world we believe is so hell-for-leather, so high-octane - that we forget to slow down and appreciate the people who supported us in getting to where we are.

We can lose touch with family and take things for granted – the most profound relationships you can have with someone might fall by the wayside. Little things like the progress of life can inadvertently harm others. You’re busy doing your thing, they’re busy doing their thing.

Sometimes I think about how it was in the early 19th century, where the only means of communication between a family half-way across the country might have been through letters. You might not hear from each other for months, years on end. I think one of the few good things to come from the Internet age is instant communication. I can speak to my mum over the phone, see her face, see her smile.

We’re lucky to be able to do that. I’m going to give my mum a ring. I think that speaks for itself.

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Declan

Quote of the Week:

“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox

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