It all started out as a run of the mill eye test. A couple of years and it’s time for me to get my eye test sorted. It’s relatively painless, and although I had some vague concerns I didn’t have any real fears. It’s an eye test, I’ve had them before, what can go wrong?

Well, nothing wrong with the test part of the eye test. The story is not quite the same for my eyes, and a further test is required. Not quite the news I wanted to hear. I feel a bit frightened. Memo to body: what are you playing at?

My eyesight is such a vital part of my self identity – I was suddenly afraid about how I’d cope if my eyesight vanished. How would I earn a living? How could I learn the necessary skills to be able to even get a job? We’re all short on time – what are you going to do with what you have left?

If your eyesight were to fail suddenly – and it does for some people in accidents – what would be the last thing you’d want to see? A favourite scene? A loved one? A work of art? A velvet painting of Elvis? Does it really make any difference?

Is there really a longing, a loving, a gratitude for something until you’ve either lost it or about to lose it?

Either way, you get on with the day … but I’m still wondering about what you do with what you’ve got left.

Manifesto
20. Every day say thank you.
26. Every day take action. Every small step counts.
45. Every day you are a different person.

Dragon gates? Maybe the designer was inspired by the sword blade cabbage tree leaves, or by palms, or ferns or who knows – to me the gates at Te Papa feel like some amazing Chinese style dragon, from the bright red colour through to the spiked back. I love it.

I love it when design is invoked – the gates could be almost any functional device – but in this case someone has taken some time out to think about what the gates might be like in this application. What kind of gates? What kind of story is being told? Most of what we’re surrounded by every day is stuff that unfortunately hasn’t had a great deal of design polish applied. The choices we make.

Manifesto
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
30. Every day use all your senses. Touch. Smell. Taste. Hear. See.
49. Every day is a good day.

without a hat
    a winter rain falls on me
so what — Basho

I’m walking back from the dentist. I’m feeling great. The late afternoon blue colours were so beautiful. I don’t know what the story is about the oak tree in the car park behind Parliament. It doesn’t look all that old or exceptional. I wondered about whether it was something special – like grown from an acorn hand reared by someone famous, or as a message about the leaders of the nation having hearts of oak. That’s just plain embarrassing – there’s got to be at least a dozen native species stouter in every respect than oaks.

I can only conclude it was planted by someone who thought that one day, late in a winter afternoon, some guy would wander past feeling in a good mood, and that guy would fall in love with the colours – and, feeling grateful, would share it all.

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
12. Every day love yourself.
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.

What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.
– Emil Brunner

Lynsey recently introduced me to the “Drive-by Truckers“. He had purchased their CD entitled Live from Austin and he really wanted me to listen to his favourite track – 18 Wheels Of Love. I would never have anticipated my reaction to what I heard.

My mom and dad got divorced. My momma was so miserable and so unhappy she locked herself in her bedroom, and she didn’t come out for six years …

Patterson Hood told the story behind the song. It was the story of his mother, Jan, and her relationship with a trucker named Chester (who became his stepfather). Patterson had no money at the time his mother married Chester so he wrote them this song as their wedding present.

Mama ran off with a trucker …
Peterbilt Peterbilt

He is making her give life another stab
They can see the world from way up in the cab

Mama ran off with a trucker…
Peterbilt Peterbilt

She can quit her job and be his little bride
He can get a local route and stay home by her side
She can fix him roast beast and sweet potato pie
He can eat a lot of it ’cause he’s a big ole guy

They got married in Dollywood
(by a Porter Waggoner lookalike)
18 Wheels of Love

The story doesn’t end there. Chester becomes extremely ill with congestive heart failure. He is expected to die. Chester asks the hospice nurse caring for him, “When do I get to drive again?” and he is told he will never be able to do that again.

This reminded of the day my 10 year old son was told by a paediatric oncologist that he had cancer. I was there beside him as he lay in his hospital bed critically ill. I still hadn’t got over the shock of the diagnosis myself. I was trying to hold back the tears and not show my fear. Damian looked the specialist in the eyes and asked, “Am I going to die?”

I was really struggling to hold myself together at this point.

“We’ll do everything we can to help you stay alive,” she replied.

Back to Chester …

Flash forward to March of this year when I was packing my suitcase … my cellphone rang, it was my momma calling, and my momma and this little bitty dog they’ve got named Paris (for some damn reason) were on their way out to Stockton California in an 18 wheel truck with Chester behind the wheel, to see the grand-kids …

I was listening intently to the song and I never expected this last bit. I thought the phone call was to say Chester had died. Oh how wrong I was. I became overcome by emotion and I started crying. Chester was behind the wheel. How fantastic is that?

Now flash forward to today. My son Damian is still alive too! He is my daily reminder that miracles do happen and that we need to treasure every day because it can all be taken from us in a flash.

When times get tough, and they so often do, never give up hope – never, never, never. Things can always turn out completely differently to what you expected. Even science gets things wrong.

Oh yes, and you sons (and daughters) out there, don’t forget to show your love for your mother. An expression of love can take on many different forms so be creative and don’t hold back. One day it will be too late to say or do what you wanted to. Don’t have regrets, take action. This moment may be all you have.

Here is a video of the full version of the song as it appears on the CD Live from Austin.

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
18. Every day express love. Some people need to hear it. Most people need to see it. Don’t take it for granted.
48. Every day there are things you can’t change. You can change the way you think about them and deal with them.