Jessica Watson, a 16-year old Australian, has just sailed around the world, (23,000 miles) alone and unaided.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described her as a true Australian hero.
“You are a hero to all young Australians, you are also a hero to all young Australian
women. You do our nation proud,” he said.
But the feisty teenager wasn’t afraid to tell him, in front of thousands of people, he was wrong.
“I’m actually going to disagree with what our Prime Minister just said. I don’t consider myself a hero, I’m just an ordinary girl who believed in her dream.” Jessica said, adding, “You don’t have to be someone special to achieve something amazing. You just have to have a dream, believe in it and work hard,” she said. “If you programme your brain, anything is possible.”
Here are a few shots of Northern France and East Anglia, over the last few days.
We had to postpone our return to England by 24 hours, because the roads were so treacherous, as you can see! We were extremely lucky to get a Chunnel train on time – just 20 minutes wait! We’d heard reports of people waiting for 6 hours in their cars. Last night the news reported that the services are still delayed, and they are accepting only people with previous long-term bookings. Planes and boats are also on minimal service, occasionally none at all.
So we were relieved to arrive in Norfolk in one piece, though Michael is practically bed-ridden due to a huge swollen sprained ankle after he slipped in the snow at Calais.
The snow is still thick everywhere, so we may well have a White Christmas, though I am praying it clears up enough for my flight to Australia on Sunday!
I woke up this morning from a vivid detailed dream of moving into my flat in Adelaide. It took me a while to adjust to today’s reality – as if more then 30 years of my life had been eclipsed.
Just as in a “revivification” type hypnotic regression, I had no “memory” of the years that were to come.
I was Lee-that-was, with all the hopes, fears, expectations and doubts of the time.
Coming back to Lee-that-is, I could only marvel at the amazing life I have led in the intervening years. Could I have even guessed, so long ago, how rich, eventful, exciting and satisfying it would be?
I am preparing a course on the Science of Happiness, in which one of the chief elements is expressing gratitude.
This morning, just the surprise of waking up today made me realise how grateful I am for what I have lived and who I am today.
There we were, cruising the last few hundred metres to our 2nd home in France after a 4-hour drive, when a fanged Beast straight from a horror movie came streaking out of the darkness and hit us Thump! A huge wild boar, which just kept running, less damaged than the car. We were driving a Smart, just temporarily, and the poor little thing bounced off the boar, and limped home with its front dangling off. Michael had to cut off chunks with the gardening shears so he could drive it to the local garage next morning, instead of to England. Totally unpredictable!
The 14th July is French Independence Day, and the whole country is on holiday, in one giant party. Especially in Paris, where there is a magnificent fireworks display.Michael and I were invited to a wedding – two of my students were finally tying the knot, and celebrating in a Big Way! They booked a riverboat for the reception, and we sailed down the River Seine, wining and dining, till the boat moored in an ideal place to watch the display. Please note the full moon, Eiffel Tower and fireworks, caught in one photo!
It was wonderful finally to have a weekend when we were not working, to just relax and have fun like normal people.
This, in the background of the glorious NGH flag, is the Atomium, the Belgians’ version of the Eiffel Tower, with a much more futuristic slant, of course.
This was actually taken on the 4th June, (last day of the Advanced Hypnotherapy course in Brussels) but with back-to-back seminars and travelling, this is the first chance I’ve had to upload it.
I got back this week from six days of teaching in Switzerland, where I would have liked to get another shot of the flag in front of the Lake Geneva fountain, or with Mont Blanc as a background. However, it was a bit much to include in the train luggage. Maybe next time.
Thgis is my first “free” weekend for 2 months, in fact, since I first started this blog. This explains why, despite good intentions, I have not been keeping it up-to-date.
Now a couple of weeks to catch up with administration, and then off to the NGH convention in August!
Life is never dull!
Well, you can’t get more French than this!
Here I am braving the hordes of tourists to find a space to photograph the National Guild of Hypnotists flag.
This photo will probably be in the next Journal of Hypnotism, as it was especially requested by Dr. Dwight Damon, president of the N.G.H.
This is day one of Lee’s English blog.
I’ve just got back from my first Silva presentation in the South of France, “Best Of”. I think I can safely say it was VERY well received.