Being The Best Person I Can.

I'm the first to admit the bleeding obvious. I'm flawed. I am also impulsive, loud, self-opinionated, easily distracted and medically eccentric. I love passionately. I loathe injustice and unfairness. I am ultra sensitive, which is completely unhelpful to my overall mental health. I genuinely believe in giving everybody a fair go. I like to think that by treating others as I would like to be treated, the world will be a better place for us all.

And I smile. I try to include a smile in my first greeting to anyone and everyone. And I adore humour - the side-splitting, the slightly off and the definitely suspect. Laughter is the universal connection for all of us.

If I'm not smiling, there is something seriously amiss with my emotional state. If I'm not laughing, my sense of humour will have already descended down my well and I will be emotionally in trouble. Which is why I allow others to vent, to be grumpy, to be petty, to cry. As well as the good stuff. I hope that if I offer this courtesy to everyone, then I will receive the same consideration.

Which, of course, is sometimes wishful thinking. There are some people in this world who are just not nice. Brenda, that does NOT include you. These are the takers, the users, the "gunnas". The ones who are "gunna" do this and that and the other. They often are slow to reveal themselves, which is why I usually get sucked in by them. Then I get stung. Often badly. I always take quite some time to recover from an encounter with one of these people. Because they  knock the stuffing out of me.

However, the last few days have reinforced that I am on the right track, that my approach to life creates more positive energy than negative. We are having fantastic visitors to the Gallery. We have been given a painting and the promise of thirty years of art resources. Which will greatly increase what we can offer and help deliver our dreams. We are gaining a reputation as a comfortable, friendly gallery where people can just come and put their feet up if they so choose. We tolerate children and love dogs as well in the Gallery.

I also feel that my writing is starting to pay a few dividends. My blog, Facebook, Wheatbelt Local and our website are all developing nicely and are taking on a life of their own. I wait to hear from Philippa, my lovely editor, on the progress of my manuscript.

This week, I finally spat the dummy about the ongoing insanity that is the disability industry. I deliberately call disability "services" an industry as I sometimes doubt whether they know who they are meant to help. I know that is a broad generalisation, but the ongoing dramas of my children's lives are yet to convince me otherwise. So, I wrote another letter - to politicians, a media outlet and on Facebook. Not expecting any response, I have been delighted that my voice has actually been heard this time, albeit by a limited audience.

Stephen Dawson, MLC here in Western Australia actually rang me. I nearly fell off the phone. We talked for quite some minutes. March Australia asked permission if they could  post my letter  on their blog in their ongoing campaign for fairness for all Australians. The comments I have received on Facebook have been universally supportive.

The greatest reward, though, of being the best person I can, is the unconditional love I experience from Michael, my children and my friends. Which is why I will keep on being who I am.

Just a very few of the people in my very fortunate life.