Where are they now?

I've been tutoring students for quite a few years now and I still really enjoy it. Tutoring opportunities simply did not exist in the Blue Mountains or I would have started my business decades ago. The city of Sydney has a diverse range of parents, with different motivations for providing their children with additional academic support. Some are seeking a mentor for their child. Others are trying to boost their child's literacy and numeracy levels to improve school engagement. Still others are eager for their child build confidence and experience academic success.

I sometimes wonder what the students I have tutored are doing now. Some of my long-term clients have graduated from high school and are completing tertiary studies. From time to time, I've received lovely words of thanks, and even a bouquet of flowers on one occasion. After finishing his HSC, he was looking into entering a trade and beginning an apprenticeship. This is an extract of the reference I wrote him:

"[Name] is honest and sincere in his interactions with others. His good humour and easy-going personality supports his capacity to work effectively within a team. He is a mature individual with positive aspirations for his future. In the workplace, he will further develop the skills of self-initiative, problem-solving and resourcefulness. He is supported by a loving family, from whom he has developed a strong work ethic. I recommend [name] as a responsible young man who will pursue his further education and employment with determination.

Whatever my former students are doing now, I certainly hope they are happy and thriving. - Mel

What is happiness?

When we were young, most of us had dreams (most if us still do). I always had simple, fairly realistic dreams. Most of my dreams were based on feeling freedom, happiness and escaping the anguish of my home life. Since many of these dreams were achieved when I left home, I possibly stopped dreaming... it doesn't really take much for me to feel happy. I think too many of us agonise about holding onto this precious life on earth, wanting to experience every kind of perfection that the world has to offer. There is nothing wrong with this but it can be a trap. I think a person's reality is very much defined by what they think about and do on a daily basis. Too many of us are obsessed with a self-pleasing reality. I believe in living in the moment and being conscious of my contribution and interactions. I am not overly into seeking some kind of ultimate goal as I find that small personal challenges just pop up every day. It's not healthy to put all of one's eggs in the same basket - there's just too much that is out of our control in this world. I think that people in Australia sometimes don’t realise just how fortunate their lives already are. The things that they nitpick about beggar belief. Life is too short to bemoan its shortcomings; instead, I view it as an opportunity to constantly grow and evolve. - Mel