You think the HSC was hard? Try being an adult!
Date
November 3, 2015 - 9:00PM
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Columnist
Now you're on your own, we've jotted
down a few handy hints to get you through life.
The strain of sitting your HSC is
nothing compared to some of the things life will throw at you. Photo: Wolter
Peeters
Well now, our little girl with the
fishing spear in your head, that's it then. Fourteen years after we almost lost
you, your Higher School Certificate is done.
Enjoy the break while you
can. Because there's one little thing we forgot to mention as we
mollycoddled you through, paid $200 to fix your cracked iPhone screen,
made you breakfast in bed, picked up your wet towels, drove you to and from
school, tried to make you be bothered, helped draw up study timetables which
you ignored, dropped you at parties, bought you formal dresses and shoes,
transferred cash for your takeaways while we slaved at home making you dinner,
ironed those rotten pleated skirts and picked up your dirty make-up wipes. And
did we charge you for the free psychological counselling sessions? No. Not that
you ever listened to us.
But here's that one little thing we
didn't mention.
If you think the HSC was hard: try
adulthood.
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Just in case you find that daunting,
we've jotted down a few handy hints:
Forgive early and forgive often. Everyone makes a mistake or two hundred. Think about the
teenager who's walking along with his five-pronged fishing spear, unsheathed,
through the crowd of kids next to the swimming pool at Palm Beach. So the spear
pierces your skull. You are three years old. You are going to
die. They fly you to hospital. In our minds we make
funeral plans. Then ... voila! The X-ray shows the prongs missed your
brain by 3 millimetres. You have to make allowances for stupid actions
like that teenager's. We chose not to pursue charges against him. We hope you
are old enough now to understand why. If there's a pattern of stupid behaviour,
of course, all bets are off. Don't take crap from nasty people who refuse to
admit or learn from their mistakes.
If someone hits you, they don't like
you. And guess what? They certainly
don't love you. No excuses. No second chances. No "I have to stay for
the sake of the kids". Find help and walk away. Watch out for the
danger signs among your friends, too.
Judge others as you would want to be
judged. Imagine being blindfolded. Feel the
face of the person opposite you. Ask them questions about their life and what
they feel. Notice the similarities? Now name the person's skin colour.
Nuff said.
Children are why we're here. If not your children, then nieces and nephews, foster kids,
adoption, school students or youngsters overseas desperate for a fair go.
Money does not matter to us. But it matters to people who don't have any. So be
generous whenever you can. And that means being happy to pay tax if
it means better services for those who need them.
Never think that just because you
can do something everyone else should be able to as well. We're born with different skill sets and come from
different backgrounds. Respect the differences.
Boredom expands to fill the space. Spend your time learning or helping others instead.
The world has a million places to
see and a million people to meet.
Don't die without seeing and meeting most of them.
Career choices aren't made at 18 or
21 or even 30. Have a go at as many jobs as
you can – and that includes the dirtiest, smelliest ones. The odour of grease
trap and septic tank will remind you that we're all the same beneath the veneer
of self-importance.
You have a talent and a passion. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discover
yours.
And above all ...
Start listening to your parents for
a change. Especially the next bit: Please
come home whenever you can, for as long as you can, because it's where you
belong and we'll always need you here.
Such is life ...
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/you-think-the-hsc-was-hard-try-being-an-adult-20151102-gkp2w7.html#ixzz3qUUiHuyw
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