Writing about October’s theme ‘Life Challenges’, James concluded “Life is a challenge. We all face it, dealing with it in our own ways and with the assistance of others; forging ahead and trying to enjoy the life we have….” Ray’s evocative ‘This too shall pass’ story of his journey following being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer certainly reflected this.
Anne reflected whimsically on ‘If only’ moments from perspectives including ‘Fantasy’ …’If only ... it was true that Paul McCartney was waving at me personally from the balcony of the Southern Cross Hotel...’
John engagingly described his ‘uncoolest ever’ ‘If only’ moment ,“Did I stay on the tram and casually say “Would you like to get some lunch in St Kilda?” Or “Oh, that was my stop, I’ll go through to the end and catch another tram back later.” No, I didn’t. I got up, said “This is my stop”, jumped off, and immediately thought “Why did I do that?”
Commencing with ‘If only I’d asked my mother about her early life with my grandparents’, Robyn’s story celebrated what she has since been able to find out about their lives through careful research.
Tom shared an ‘if only’ moment which has reverberated throughout his life, while Barry reflected on the ‘curved ball’ of being allocated the role of starting driver in a gruelling six-hour team-relay reliability test, a challenge met and rewarded with a driver’s performance award.
Carmyl chose to reflect upon ‘Advice’, from her father’s advice ‘A gentleman is one who uses a butterknife while dining alone’ to the advice she would now give to others, ‘Believe in Yourself’ and ‘Enjoy Life. You Only Live It Once’. Jan’s evocative stories ‘Retirement part 2’ and ‘It was Time for a Change’, completed her retirement ‘trilogy’.
In a lighter mood, Max Tilbury’s story 'How we Met' concluded “I wasn’t left on the shelf – unwanted - after all!”, while Heather’s story of meeting her husband Paul included the local postie, having picked up on the fact that a package from Paul was likely to be an engagement ring, going down on his knee and proposing to Heather on Paul’s behalf… to which she said ‘Yes’!
Two older catch-up stories completed the session. Tom shared a moving 'I Was There' story of the moment he realised that the ‘Maid of the Sea’ aircraft downed in the Lockerbie plane disaster was the plane he had visited and so admired in Melbourne just a few months previously. In ‘Steep Learning Curve’, James described the challenge of following his dream of becoming a military pilot, his parents proudly attending his graduation despite having had earlier reservations.
So many Life Challenges met!
The theme for November is 'A Year in My Life' - the topics to choose from:
‘The Year That ( ..... ) Me’ Write about a year which made, changed or challenged you, a year which made a particular difference in your life’s journey.
‘One Moment, This Year’ Looking back on 2025 to date, what single moment stands out for you? Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.
‘… Years Ago’ A chance to write about a slice of your life which hasn’t fitted a topic area to date!
Finally, a reminder to bring something chocolate-y or festive to share in November!
Beverley Lee
Anne reflected whimsically on ‘If only’ moments from perspectives including ‘Fantasy’ …’If only ... it was true that Paul McCartney was waving at me personally from the balcony of the Southern Cross Hotel...’
John engagingly described his ‘uncoolest ever’ ‘If only’ moment ,“Did I stay on the tram and casually say “Would you like to get some lunch in St Kilda?” Or “Oh, that was my stop, I’ll go through to the end and catch another tram back later.” No, I didn’t. I got up, said “This is my stop”, jumped off, and immediately thought “Why did I do that?”
Commencing with ‘If only I’d asked my mother about her early life with my grandparents’, Robyn’s story celebrated what she has since been able to find out about their lives through careful research.
Tom shared an ‘if only’ moment which has reverberated throughout his life, while Barry reflected on the ‘curved ball’ of being allocated the role of starting driver in a gruelling six-hour team-relay reliability test, a challenge met and rewarded with a driver’s performance award.
Carmyl chose to reflect upon ‘Advice’, from her father’s advice ‘A gentleman is one who uses a butterknife while dining alone’ to the advice she would now give to others, ‘Believe in Yourself’ and ‘Enjoy Life. You Only Live It Once’. Jan’s evocative stories ‘Retirement part 2’ and ‘It was Time for a Change’, completed her retirement ‘trilogy’.
In a lighter mood, Max Tilbury’s story 'How we Met' concluded “I wasn’t left on the shelf – unwanted - after all!”, while Heather’s story of meeting her husband Paul included the local postie, having picked up on the fact that a package from Paul was likely to be an engagement ring, going down on his knee and proposing to Heather on Paul’s behalf… to which she said ‘Yes’!
Two older catch-up stories completed the session. Tom shared a moving 'I Was There' story of the moment he realised that the ‘Maid of the Sea’ aircraft downed in the Lockerbie plane disaster was the plane he had visited and so admired in Melbourne just a few months previously. In ‘Steep Learning Curve’, James described the challenge of following his dream of becoming a military pilot, his parents proudly attending his graduation despite having had earlier reservations.
So many Life Challenges met!
The theme for November is 'A Year in My Life' - the topics to choose from:
‘The Year That ( ..... ) Me’ Write about a year which made, changed or challenged you, a year which made a particular difference in your life’s journey.
‘One Moment, This Year’ Looking back on 2025 to date, what single moment stands out for you? Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.
‘… Years Ago’ A chance to write about a slice of your life which hasn’t fitted a topic area to date!
Finally, a reminder to bring something chocolate-y or festive to share in November!
Beverley Lee
