Month: July 2017

Leave The Light On For Me

Posted on by fantomwriter


When I was young and wild, at least I thought I was a wild child, I would be out every Friday and Saturday night, but unlike the youth of today, I would end up back at my parent’s house, and in my own bed, and well and truly before dawn.

There are a few reasons for my actions, one was that pubs and clubs stopped serving alcohol at 2 am and they shut up for the night. Unlike nowadays where patrons can continue drinking well past sunrise.

The other reason was that my Mother always threatened to rent out my bed if I wasn’t home by 3am. Nice threat, but would have never worked.

So when I did get home from a night out with friends, there would always be a light on. The porch light would be shining bright and never be turned off until I was safe and sound and back home.


It was a beacon in the darkness of the street. The street lights only just throwing light near the front of the house.


In many other ways, family and friends can also leave a light on. Not always physically such as a porch light, but they can show the way to a place where you belong. A place where you always want to return.

Make sure you keep a light on for others, as they may sometimes need that light to bring them home.

Changing our life path 

Posted on by fantomwriter


With every passing day, we see ourselves and the people around us a little differently. Some good, some bad, and some indifferent. But we continue on our journey, not always certain how it will turn out.


We owe to ourselves to alter the path of our journey to ensure we keep smiling and stay happy. And with happiness on our side, we have a much better chance of a happy ending. One we can take all the way to the grave.

Chapters Of Our Lives

Posted on by fantomwriter

Sitting in the kitchen and enjoying my morning cup of coffee, I sat quietly, staring out the window and into vacant space.

The radio, tuned to my favourite station, one which played classic tracks from the 80s. The era in which I cut my teeth on in my musical taste. And the music I still listen to whenever I can. On the bike, exercising, or just chilling out.

So as Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel started playing, it very quickly took me back to some of the best years of my younger days. The days and nights were filled with mates, music, booze and friendships that would forever be remembered.

And that’s exactly what I have from those days. Memories. Great memories to be honest.

But as the song faded and came to an end, I felt a tiny string tugging at my heart, making me yearn for years gone by. Memories of love, laughter, success and failure. All good, and bad.

There is no way to get those years back, they are gone, but not forgotten. Never forgotten.

So as life continues to roll on, it’s natural for us to change, to see things differently than we did, not only when we were young and wild, but also the more current years that have slipped by. Some of those years we noticed, and others seemed to meld into one another. Blurred lines.

And with change in our lives, we begin to see things differently. Not in a bad light, just different. We also begin to question if we are where we want to be at that very point.

Our life starts as a blank book, every paragraph, a moment in our lives. Paragraphs become pages, and pages, eventually become chapters.

Each chapter of our lives defines us, and we need to ensure the next chapter is the one we truly want. If we aren’t true to ourselves, our book will never be the one we really wanted to write.

Become the writer of your true self, we all deserve a happy ending and a journry to be enjoyed.

The path to heaven is full of sinners and believers

Posted on by fantomwriter


If I had to sit back and think through my life and where I will end up, I would struggle to come up with an answer. Apart from the obvious one, in a pine box and six foot under.
On the long and winding road we call life, we come across many people, some sinners, and others believers. These people cross our paths for a specific reason, even if we don’t realise it at the time.


It may take months, or sometimes even years to understand why we these people ventured into our lives. They may have been with us for the briefest of moments or stayed with us for years, and are possibly still in our lives.

But sometimes it’s the people who come into our lives for the shortest period of time that make the most impact, or leave us wondering why we were with them for such a short time.

There is no simple answer to this, but most likely they came into our lives for a single purpose. They knowingly or unknowingly achieved what they were meant to do and then drifted off.

We can believe what we want, but the sinners in our lives are with us to make us see the grass on the other side. And it’s up to us to decide if we want to jump the fence and see if the grass really is the right shade of green other side and if it’s what we really want. Sometimes it is, and other times the grass has dried out lost its lush greenery.


Then there are the believers who come into our lives. Just like the sinners, they have shown up for a reason. That reason may be to show us we are worth more than we think we are and we are not a burden to others, as we may sometimes think.

Apart from having sinners and believers in our lives, we also need to follow the path we truly believe, either go and check out greener pastures by jumping the fence, or believing we are better than what we think.

No matter which path we take, it will all end in a pine box.


So while we wait to lay in that pine box, we need to enjoy the journey and do what’s best for us, even if others don’t agree with our descisions.

On the road again

Posted on by fantomwriter


After more than five months of having to rely on family, friends and taxi drivers, I’m finally able to get behind the wheel of a car and take myself wherever I want or need. 

The first place I drove was to Maccas and grabbed myself a latte. The trip was easy enough, and it’s like riding a bike. Something you don’t forget easily. 


My visits to physio and the pool will be much easier from now on. And I also feel it’s one more step in the right direction for my rehabilitation. 

As for getting back on my bike, that’s still a few months away. Slowly but surely. 

Clearing the head

Posted on by fantomwriter


One of the best ways to clear up a foggy brain is to go out for a nice walk. The fresh air and change of scenery will do you and your mind wonders. 

So was the case on this very cold and windy morning on the Mornington Peninsula. The pier was deserted, and I can understand why. 


Not was it brisk, it was damn cold. The offshore sea breeze didn’t help, but the walk itself did help clear my mind. 

It will take a few more walks to clear it completely, but right now I do have some spare time on my hands. 

What Is Happiness???

Posted on by fantomwriter


Is happiness something that we are born with and keep in our hearts and minds throughout our lives, or is it something we strive for, with ever beat of our hearts? 


This is a question that comes up on a regular basis, but it should be a natural occurrence for all of us, no questions asked. 

But there are times when we lose sight of what we want and the happiness in our lives slowly slides away, until all we see of it is a glimmer, and a very tiny glimmer. 

These are the times when we need family and friends to step in an help show us the path to happiness, and to where we should be.


We can’t always stand on our own two feet and expect to keep a smile on our dial, day in and day out. And we may not ask for others to help return our smile. It’s is really up to those ones close to us to and know when our happiness has left the building.


The biggest question is, do we all really deserve to be truly happy, or are some of us destined to feel pain and sorrow throughout our lives? 

Coffee break. Time to think 

Posted on by fantomwriter

Sitting in a local coffee shop sipping on a hot vanilla latte and watching the cold winter wind push a few stray leaves along the footpath.  

Not a bad way to spend a some time. Drinking coffee and contemplating life and what it has left to offer. 

With everything that has happened over the past few months, time is the one thing I’ve had plenty of. Time and not much to do except think and assess the situation. 

It could have been worse, much worse. But it seems that time is healing most of the hurt I’ve been feeling. And only more time will heal all wounds. So I’m hoping. 

Bored!!!

Posted on by fantomwriter


With everything we have in our lives and our homes, it would be difficult to become bored with it all. But there are times when no matter what we have at our disposal, we get bored. And I know that as a fact right now.


After having had the ability to move and go wherever I want, and whenever I felt the need, it’s a shock to the system to have to stay indoors and wait for someone to take me out somewhere, other than for a walk around the block.

Even the thought of watching TV or Netflix has very little appeal right now. The one event that is helping me keep my sanity is the Tour de France. Watching live stages is the one thing that is keeping my boredom at bay, but only just. And the TDF only has 12 stages left to race.


So when and how do we get to a point in our lives where there is nothing around us that has the ability to keep us not only busy, but keep the boredom at bay.


We have the ability to chat to people around the globe using Skype or other messenger programs, but we can still find it easy enough to be bored stupid with everything.


We can have hundreds of ‘friends’ we chat with, but when it comes down to it, how many people do we have in our lives who really know us intimately and deep enough that keep our minds and our hearts going and keep the days of boredom away.

Have we become so dependent on the technology in our lives that we are unable to sit and talk to each other over a cup of coffee and put together a plan on keeping the boredom from our days.


If I had a choice right now, I would be on a road bike, cruising through the streets and hills of a foreign country, taking in the scenery and stopping in the side of the road to smell the flowers. Checking into a bed and breakfast and then continuing my journey the next morning. Destination unknown.


But, a foreign country is a little out of my reach at the moment, so I will have to settle for a long and dusty ride along the Warburton trail  this year on my trusty mountain bike. Away from cars and road rage.

Led down the garden path 

Posted on by fantomwriter


Most people I know will trust others to lead them in the right direction. And not only when they are on a road to nowhere and lost with no idea how to get back home. But then, sometimes getting lost on a ride can be a great adventure and a breath of fresh air.


Then there are other situations where we are mislead and eventually have to take the blame for something we thought was the ‘right thing’. Taking a ‘fall’ while others get off the hook and possibly end up with financial gain.


People are devious. No two ways about that. But are these people devious when it suits them, or are they always devious and hide it well from people around them. Including friends and loved ones.

It doesn’t matter what we think about how devious other people are, we need to admit it to ourselves that we can be just as devious as all the other people around us.


Even if we don’t believe we are that tiny bit devious, we need to look closer to home and see what we have done in our past, and then either accept it, or continue to sweep it under the carpet.

But then, is sweeping it under the carpet the right thing to do? Step out of the shadows and own up your indiscretions of your past.