By Carole Fogarty
A Revealing Moment in Time About Me:
Last month I shared how I need to step out of my comfort zone and reveal more about myself to you and all of my readers. So being the private person that I am, I now need to let go of any hesitation or scary feelings and openly share some defining moments in my life.
That’s me Carole last December:
They are not necessarily the highlights of my life, they are however, defining times which popped into my mind when writing this post. One is an extremely personal situation which I am about to commit too, and feel extremely scarred and emotional about. I will be stepping, way, way out of my comfort zone and into a totally foreign environment. It is something I must do to support and understand another’s life.
1. I grew up on a vineyard and winery:
It was often said that I had one of the best wine palettes. In a blind wine tasting I could pick the country, grape varietal, area and year of the wine. If I was particularly clever on the day I could even name the winery. These are the skills you learn whilst growing up on a vineyard.
Much to the dismay of my friends, one day in my early 40’s I suddenly decided I didn’t need to drink any more. I simply stopped. I have never once craved nor missed drinking wine since. Strange but true.
2. Went to Japan as an exchange student:
I was lucky enough to be invited to Japan as an exchange student when I was 17 years of age. From a country girl growing up on a farm, going to a foreign country where the grandmother stood and watched me bathe, the Japanese mother who never sat down to join you for a meal and the hours spent trying to eat bacon and eggs with chopsticks all fueled my love of travel. From this moment on and for the next 12 years I traveled overseas every single year. Travel is my passion, it simply fuels my soul.
My father gave me a great gift sending me to Japan all those years ago.
3. First husband dies:
My eldest son Oliver (20) lost his father when he was 7 years of age. It was the most devastating, gut wrenching moment of my life. I still wonder today as to the scar it will leave on his life. This was one of those moments when I felt totally and utterly helpless as a mother.
4. Home birth my second child in 1996:
I had it all planned with essential oils, the music and the water birth. Whilst the water birth didn’t happen I experienced what can only be described as a transformational experience. I literally chanted continuously throughout the entire birth (not planned). To this day I do not know what I chanted. It simply felt natural and so soothing to my body as I chanted for hours on end.
I did not feel any pain (go figure!) I felt so plugged in and connected to the universe and all of its entirety. It was as if the universes energy was delivering my gorgeous son. This experience change my life forever, big time.
From that moment on, I knew, with absolute certainty what the presence of the universe felt like. I’m in awe that anything is possible, if only, we let our minds get out of the way.
Who would believe a birth without pain was possible!
5. Workshops with Robert Kiyosaki:
Well before he was famous, Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad Poor Dad fame, facilitated workshops in Australia called Money and You and Creating Wealth. I attended three of his programs, all were intense 12 hour days, sometimes 4 days straight which focused often on releasing emotional blocks to attracting wealth. The workshops used a system called accelerated learning which engaged your entire being. The information was timeless and life changing.
6. Meeting the Dalai Lama:
Whilst my 10 and 12 year old were not sure why they had to meet the Dalai Lama I just knew in the depths of my heart that his presence would change their life and mine forever.
In 2007 he came to Australia and we met him. There is something magical and life changing about being in the presence of a spiritual leader. He was awesome, funny and my children still talk about him today. The current situation in Tibet saddens me. Yet his message of peace still lingers strongly.
He spoke about the troubled minds in many young people today no matter where they live around the world. He believed current lifestyle situations where both parents are now having to work (not by choice) has created an inner restlessness in our teenagers today. Suicide in youth is growing globally.
This reassured me that my choice to work from home is a precious gift to my children’s life. May my blog continue to prosper and grow.
7. One week in a drug rehabilitation center as a support person:
This is the very private and personal situation that I mentioned earlier. I wasn’t going to talk about it but pleased, now that I have.
I am about to commit to one of the biggest emotional adventures in my life. I have agreed to be the one and only support person for a family member who is currently in a Sydney treatment centre for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. None of her immediate family are able to be there for her.
The commitment is a huge 5 days, 9-00 till 4.00 in group and private sessions to understand the process, language and develop an understanding of the illness.
Being a single mother of 3 boys it is a big deal for me to leave them for 5 days but I feel very humble in being invited and know this is one of the greatest gifts I could ever give another human being.
I will be traveling to Sydney later in April and trust I have the inner strength for the intense five days as a support person. Addictions and drugs are so foreign no me and were never part of my life growing up. This journey will be revealing.
I will view the environment as healing and not toxic and keep my heart open at all times.