My story: the draft idea

Many years ago I wanted to write a book about my life. I have certainly gone through quite a few things which for me is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone else. Is it unique? maybe in the grand scheme of things it might not be, but to me it felt like it. So for a long time I wanted to tell the world. I still do; but it’s been way too long to really details it from start to end. But at least I tried…once upon a time.

So….here’s a look at what I attempted.

(originally posted 14th January 2009)

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Prologue: ‘Just Keep Swimming’

Remember the fish, Dory from Pixar’s film ‘Finding Nemo’? In the scene where she turns and says to Marlin:

‘When life gets you down do you know what you got to do?’
‘Just keeping swimming, just keep swimming…’

Swimming was one of my favourite hobbies growing up. Every day after school and on the weekends mum took my sister and I to Hilton Brown Swim School, we had lessons only twice a week and the rest of the time we were there was all fun and games. My sister and I were of course in different classes she had the advanced group and I was in what mum sometimes called; the baby swimmers. I didn’t care those afternoons were always well spent and one of my favourite water games was Marco Polo. I usually cheated in the game often taking a quick peek before shouting ‘Marco!’

Swimming had always felt to me like an escape from reality just as writing does the same for me, in the water a different type of freedom. All that life had so far thrown at me I’d taken at face value and refused to let it derail and become out of control but even then I couldn’t control what was to happen next. Experience had already taught me not to let life get me down and just to keep going and like in swimming the athlete can’t just stop halfway they have to keep going until they reach the beach.

In a way all that has transpired in 25 years helped to shape the person I am today; and finally I can sit back and reflect on the past and present and just how it all happened and how I found myself here today.

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