Life has a funny way of weaving intricate stories, and mine is no exception. I am a complex individual, wearing multiple hats as a husband, father to three adult boys, and a caregiver for my wife who battles complex health conditions. Let me take you on a journey through some chapters of my history, filled with twists and turns that have shaped who I am today.
Born in New Zealand, my early life took me across the seas at a mere nine months old. My father, a US Marine, and my mother, who was on a Christian Science scholarship, met during her time at Principia in St. Louis, Missouri. Family ties were formed, but secrets lingered within my father’s past. Being adopted, he faced the challenge of tracing his roots, with little information to guide him. It seems his adoptive parents conceived a child of their own shortly after adopting him, which may explain the scarcity of clues in DNA searches—a testament to his cult’s beliefs regarding blood and transfusions.
Growing up, my family’s journey was marked by uncertainty and the struggle to find stability. We lived in a trailer park, and my father had difficulty holding down a steady job. He tried his hand at various ventures, from a food truck to selling insurance, but success eluded him. When I was around four years old, my mother, brother, and I made the decision to immigrate to Australia, where much of my mother’s family had already settled.
Our Australian adventure brought its own set of challenges. I attended three different primary schools within four years, as my mother did her best to provide us with stability amidst the transitions. Academically, I faced my own struggles. Reading was not my forte, and I was labeled as “special needs,” leading to the decision to repeat year four. However, music and technical skills were my strengths. I found solace in playing the bass and guitar, participating in every school production, even receiving a school service award for the district.
At the age of eleven, my mother remarried, and our family relocated to a coal town in central Queensland. It was here that I spent my formative years, surrounded by the rugged beauty of the countryside. Farms, wide-open spaces, and school became my everyday reality. While I excelled in technical and musical pursuits, my academic performance left much to be desired. I yearned for something beyond the confines of small-town life.
Dreams of escape led me to consider a career as an airline steward. However, the narrow-minded views of my parents, influenced by the white, rural, and possibly homophobic mindset prevalent in the mining community, greeted my aspirations with negativity. Undeterred, I sought an apprenticeship as an electrician in a local coal mine.
The realities of the coal mine environment hit me hard. It was a rough, crude, and unsophisticated world that clashed with my desire for a more sophisticated and fulfilling life. Nonetheless, I persevered and completed the four-year apprenticeship. Tragically, a few months after my time underground, an explosion claimed the lives of my mentor and the leading hand, leaving me shattered and unable to continue in the trade I had come to despise.
Yearning for a different path, I daydreamed of suited individuals walking into workshops, consulting or selling their wares. I craved a life beyond the coal mine, envisioning something better and more fulfilling. Eventually, I found my way into the world of sales, but that is a story for another post, a tale of navigating new horizons and pursuing my aspirations.
Life has taken me on a winding journey, exposing me to a range of experiences and shaping my perspective along the way. Each chapter has contributed to the tapestry of my existence, fueling my desires for personal growth and fulfilment. As I continue to navigate the twists and turns of life, I embrace the complexities that have made me who I am today—a multidimensional individual with a story still unfolding.
