On this day 30 years ago I was born.  To be honest I don’t know how I got to this point, things just feel like they’ve seemingly fallen in place. 

As a child I would dream of what it would be like as an adult.  Observing my parents I would imagine my life with my own home, my own cars, my own job.

I couldn’t dream of my life being the way it is today.  I seem to have fallen short in many respects.  Sorry young Wil!  I let you down.

But I guess as a child things were much simpler.  Relationships were a matter of like or dislike, politics were non existent, and desires were never impossible to obtain.

Any materialistic desire was a single Christmas or Birthday wish away or more.  Life would happen later, and deciding to work hard was neither here nor there.

It was a simple case of do something to make your parents proud and possibly receive a reward, or do something bad and receive a bruised bottom from a rather large leather belt.

I still have vivid memories from when I was 3 years old.  During the week my mother would drop me off at Uncle Don and Auntie Pauline’s place in Hornsby.

Uncle Don and Auntie Pauline were an Aussie couple with three kids and were close friends with my parents.

Auntie Pauline and her daughter Karina would look after me while my parents worked.

Karina and Michael were her two kids that I spent time with.  I remember them being adult-like, but they would’ve only been 9-10 years old at that stage.  Both were your typical surfy-looking Aussie children.  Tanned, and blonde.

The main thing I remember about Auntie Pauline’s place was that they had their own swimming pool.  Karina would always put my swimmers and floaties on, and take me down to the pool where I would promptly jump straight in and splash about.

This one day though, she took me down before changing me into my swimmers deciding to do it poolside instead.  Excited, I of course didn’t wait for her to put my floaties on.

I remember jumping in, sinking, and looking around noticing the bubbles coming from my mouth, and the fingers of sunlight breaking through the water as the ripples emanated from my point of entry.

It seemed like I was under there forever, oblivious to the fact that I wasn’t able to breath.  It was peaceful and beautiful.

However, the peace was suddenly broken by Karina’s hands smashing through the water with urgency, grabbing me, and reefing me out of the water and back onto the pool decking.

She yelled at me angrily, so I started crying.  She then pulled me close and held me tight.

Michael had a dog.  A German Shepherd named Byron.  I liked that dog so much that I would later ask my parents if I could have one.

I have so many memories of Auntie Pauline and Uncle Don.  I wonder how they’re doing now.  I know mum still keeps in contact with Auntie Pauline, but very infrequently.  I guess times change and people grow apart.

When I was 8 years old my parents brought home someone that would become my best mate.  My mate Benji.  I use to sit for hours and just talk to him about everything and nothing.

I even remember mentioning my 30th and talking to him about what I might be, and what I might become.  Dreaming of what the future held and the endless possibilities.

Should I become a doctor?  Should I focus on art?  Or should I focus on computers?  Placing his head in my lap he’d let me know that things would be just fine no matter choice I made.

I would go on to study IT at university. The jury might still be out on whether that was the right choice…maybe.

Benji would see me through the start of my university studies.  He gave me a reason to get up in the morning, and a reason to come home.  I loved him so much.

I will never forget the way he looked at me and the way he welcomed me home.  It was as though he was proud of me, and always happy to see me.  Even when the world was seemingly falling apart he would always make me feel better.

Throughout my childhood my parent’s seemed like super heroes.  By what they did and achieved, they always let me know that anything was possible with a lot of hardwork and determination.

When they looked at me as a child I wonder if they saw the man I am today .  If this is what they wanted me to become.

Below is a photograph from my 10th birthday.  You can see my extended family June, Leigh, Carly,  Corey, and ofcourse my mum and me.

I can’t believe that was twenty years ago.   Looking at the photo and thinking about how things were at the time it’s hard to believe the amount of change that’s happened in the lives of everyone in that photograph is immense.

Today, well, I am what I am.  By my side stands my beautiful girlfriend of four years . I love her and she’s very much my life. We’ve shared so much over the years that we’ve known each other.  Sharing stories, and making memories.

So here we are, my 30th birthday.  What a long road.  I can’t help but feel that a page is turning, and my life is just beginning.