24 August 2026

I’m on a bus from Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, heading to Sydney airport. Dave is with me. He’s sitting in the seat in front of mine. I have elbow room to type and head room to write. Later today we’ll be catching a flight to Adelaide. Back to daily life which, luckily, is wonderful.

I’ve just had a pretty fantastic four days at the Bathurst Beatlefest. I didn’t sleep much last night. My mind was full from the excitement of what’s been and the anticipation of what’s to come this week with Loreto Contemporary springART. As I lay there sleepless, yet resting, I told myself I needed to be still these next few days. Calm down. Come back to “the now” as Eckhart says. It’s good advice and not as easy as you would imagine. There I was just five minutes into this bus journey and my mind went from being present to being agitated.

I began thinking of how I haven’t been writing these past few months. I know why and I forgive myself for that.

A few weeks back I went to a SALA exhibition of Adelaide visual artist Jane Skeer. Jane writes everyday. Like many artists she has inspired me. Why does writing have to be a big deal for me? Why can’t it just be a few words every day. No grand statement. Just a check in of sorts with what’s going on in my life. I can do that. I can pay attention to my thoughts and feelings and take ten minutes to jot a few simple words. And I can stick to it. Because it’s just ten minutes.

There’s so much I want to achieve in this lifetime. There are a tonne of places other than Bathurst I want to visit. I wish I could do it all.

I’m 58 now, very soon to be 59. I can’t do it all, but what I can, I will. And I can write for ten minutes a day.