"Living on a dream" is a deliberate choice in life

Bargara, Queensland, Australia has become my new home for now, and all my friends keep saying to me "you have fallen in love with the place".

And I have!

I only ever thought I would be in the Bundaberg region for a couple of months in order to rewrite that fateful chapter of my life here from 1982-1985.

But everything has changed for me.

Sure I have come to understand so much more about myself since returning here in December 2023, but I never expected that I would want to stay longer.

My cloak of invisibility I put over myself from 1983 onwards has been completely lifted now and my life has changed in so many positive and now very deliberate ways.

Back in the 80's in Bundaberg I was way too scared to live authentically as me "in the love of the common people", because I knew it would not be "love of the common people" I would receive, but rather hate "of the common people".

But everywhere I go here in Bundaberg, but more specifically Bargara, that is definitely not the case in any shape or form.

I am living my best life in Bargara, I am not afraid to be my true authentic identity, and I am really quite visible.

The locals always say hello to me and many of the local businesses recognise me now and take the extra time to chat to me.

Bargara Meats in particular showed me genuine kindness and compassion on Friday just gone as I was unable to go into the store because I had Covid. I went online and ordered a delivery, but I didn't realise I had missed the same day delivery cut off time, but also, I was under the minimum spend for home delivery. But that didn't deter Dan, who graciously rang me up and said he would drop it off to me on his way home. I've been shopping at Bargara Meats since I arrived here as it is by far the best place to buy your meat and smallgoods I have found in the whole region.

Other businesses that I frequent in Bargara are equally just as friendly. There are lots, but in particular, I want to give a shout out to The Windmill Cafe, COB Cafe on Bauer, Beach Treats Bargara, The Lettuce Patch and The Beach Mill Coffee Bar who have always been super friendly to me.

I may have only been here a few months, but I feel like a local, and more importantly, I feel like I belong.

So as in that Paul Young song "Love Of The Common People", I can be my true authentic identity because I, a "daddy", as I am a "family man" because I do have two adult children, have found that Bargara is a place.....

"Where you can live in the love of the common people

Smile from the heart of a family man (a-ah-e-ah)

Daddy's gonna buy you a dream to cling to

Mama's gonna love you just as much as she can (it's so cold)

And she can

Living on a dream ain't easy

But the closer the knit the tighter the fit (closer the knit)

And the chills stay away (a-ah-e-ah)

'Cause we take 'em in stride for family pride

You know that faith is in your foundation (ooh-na, ooh-na, ooh-na, ooh-na)

With a whole lot of love and a warm conversation

But don't forget to pray (forget to pray)

It's makin' it strong, where you belong"

There are just so many double meanings in the lyrics of this song that are very personal to me.

But Bargara is where my "aligned inspired actions" have seen me land, and where I have "bought my dream to cling to" and as a result, I have constant "smiles from the heart of a family man".