Perks on Earth

On Change

Throughout my 23 years of life, I have learnt that change is inevitable. That no matter how desperately you crave for sameness and constants, places, people, and situations will all change. I used to embody the concept of change as terrifying and daunting. If I held something in life that brought me happiness, change would mean that the happiness would evaporate. But now, I see that is not always the case. Change contributes to growth, to new experiences, new people. It challenges us and forces us to, at times, sit in the discomfort of the present moment.

In many ways, the progressions of life are changes. I never went to University expecting to be there for the rest of my days, yet when my degree finished, I sat in the terrifying reality that my life had changed. In some circumstances, change can be heartbreaking, it can feel wrong, and it can turn your life as you knew it on its head. And here comes the discomfort. A place where I have found myself recently, sitting in the present moment, discomfort surrounding me. But this has taught me many things, where something is lost and life changes around you, that change opens new doors, new opportunities, and numerous new paths. Right now, I do not know which path I will follow. But I have found an element of excitement in the changes around me, an ambition to create as I move forward, an end to the discomfort. Change is inevitable and accepting that has been an invaluable skill I have adopted. That does not mean change is easy, because trust me, sometimes it is the opposite. But it is the ability to see through the discomfort, to identify the opportunities this new change has incurred. To me, change is a challenge, and one that I will continue to endeavour to overcome. And there you have it, growth.

On Home

I have been away from my beautiful home for 10 months now. And, I know that for some that may not be long, but for me, as a home body to my core, it has seemed infinite. Seeing my beautiful family head into Irish summertime, into the long evenings and blue skies, has been such a special gift. My siblings finished school and university for the summer, entering those special months of freedom and opportunity. The photos sent into our family WhatsApp make me smile to no end, and hearing stories of the crazy happenings at Woodbine Hill make me shed happy tears. In many ways I wish I was with them all, soaking up the rare Irish sun and enjoying evening swims at Mangans Bay. But at the same time, I know my place right now is where I am now, in Sydney. Working and exploring, and constantly growing in my personal and professional life. And it’s glorious to be able to do that, whilst also holding my home and family so close each and every day.

After a month of changes and challenges, home has felt that bit further away. The power of a phone call and WhatsApp photos has not replaced the ambiance of waking up in my childhood home and spending my days with my beautiful family and friends. But, in so many ways, I am incredibly blessed to have forged and discovered a place of home here. In Moorabinda, the home of my wonderful Aussie family. Tucked into the hills outside Crookwell, a short 300km from Sydney, lies the most special place. A place of calmness, quiet, and healing. Each time I go to Moorabinda, I am swept up in its beauty, in its special energies and it’s jaw-dropping scenery. Part of that home is the people there, Pam and Dave filling the farm with that sense of family and belonging. For Moorabinda and my Australian family, I am always grateful. Homesickness doesn’t feel quite so intoxicating when you have another home, not the same, but wondrously different, where I am always welcome.

In the changes, I have also been able to slow down. To reach out to family and friends from home who I have missed more than I knew. Last night, I spoke to the beautiful Ale, my dearest friend from university, and the wonderful soul who shared my adventures in Rome in 2021. Speaking to Ale brought on such a sense of solace, of peace in knowing that friendships bring such love and such support. Sometimes it is those who are far away that remind you of that. Having such beautiful friends here in Sydney has also made me feel at home, they have always been a source of comfort, and I am so grateful. Home is where the heart is, and mine is spread across the world in a way I am truly thankful for.

Homesickness is part of being away from home. Being a homebody is as much a part of me as my draw to travel and life in new places. It is something I am so happy to be able to experience, to be able to have that home in so many places, and in so many people, is a privilege I cannot take for granted. Through the waves and waterfalls, home is always there.

On Slowing Down

There is a concept that I was introduced to in University, Buen Vivir. Also known as Sumak Kawsay, it translates to “life in harmony”, “living well”. When I first explored this, a concept was all it was, an interesting belief which many peoples had built their lives around. But, when I was 19, my beautiful friend Rachel and I spent some time in the mountains of Samothrace in Greece, living on a self-sufficiency project, unknowingly, living that harmonious and simple life. This experience taught me that Sumak Kawsay is so much more than a concept used to explain the beliefs and actions of many peoples in the world. It is a belief and knowledge we can all adopt in our own lives. To live simply, slowly, and with content, is to live well. To acknowledge that all beings and elements are interconnected, tied to each other, is to understand that what we give is what we receive.

For me, this is a belief I often come back to. After times where I am reminded, I lose grounding and get easily caught in the fast pace of life. My stress levels grow, and I run. Personally, I can run for quite some time. I can keep up with the race I have created for myself. But to what end? I remind myself, Buen Vivir, slowly slowly Ella. And living with and through this belief is when I am grounded. It is when I am true to myself, nurture myself, and in turn, nurture all that is around me. I can be better and do better in all that I do in my life, but that fast pace is replaced with contentment and appreciation for now. Slowly down is not the act of stopping and taking a week to complete something that should take a day. It is doing everything whilst present, whilst content in the moment. Buen Vivir, living in harmony, is not my whole life’s purpose right now, but it is something that I carry with me, and something that in many ways, gives me purpose. So, if you are reading this, and the pace of life seems impossible, slow down. Think about where you are, who you are, and why you are. Acknowledge that your life is not only your own, but also a life in a series of other lives, it is an invaluable person in the web of life, of humans, flora, fauna, and the elements. We are all here to con-inhabit this Earth, let’s endeavour to do so harmoniously.