Tough Times

One of the joys and challenges of being an expatriate is a greater awareness and a wider vision of the world around us.  This can make world events extremely personal because we have visited that location, or have friends and colleagues who live and work there, or who were born there.  So our focus is often broader than it was before our expatriate experience.  That broad outward vision takes time and energy though and sometimes we don’t have that to give.  In tough times focusing inward on a smaller community may be all we can do.

I’ve recently returned from a bitter sweet visit  ‘home’.  The visit was originally scheduled to cover my niece’s wedding but my father became very ill and died and so the visit began with funeral preparations and ended with supporting my mother as she worked her way through the many details that follow the death of a partner.   And yes, there was a joyful and happy wedding in between.

My Dad has not been well for a number of years.  But the final goodbye is still such sadness. I’ve blogged before about the pain of being far away when illness and tragedy strikes those you love so it was good to be there and be able to take extra time to help Mum and other special family members who constantly support her. 

I was helped in my decision-making by a number of wise colleagues and clients who I also count as friends.  They reminded me of the need to be completely present where I was and to be aware of my own values and needs as well as the needs of others in the difficult situation. So I made some choices.

I chose to focus on family rather than work.  This is the first blog in a number of weeks because of that decision and some of the planned additions to the website have been delayed. 

I have now returned to Sydney, and to work and my focus is shifting outward again.  Thank you for your understanding and support.