On people doing good things

and how the way we see the world makes a difference

“Your mind is your greatest treasure.” — John O’Donohue

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It is always a good idea to notice when people do lovely things. With screens full of bombs and terror, disorder and inequality, this feels a particularly important time to notice that people keep doing lovely things.

This past week I have enjoyed a kind of long mediation on people doing lovely things. Some of these people are in the public eye, most are not. I don’t wish to betray confidences nor bring unwanted attention here, so I may write in generalities at times. But something that lights my fire this week is Goodness of Spirit.

Where did this noticing come from? Possibly this is a personal reaction to last week writing about the TV series “Adolescence.” To look for ordinary good in ordinary life.

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It has led me to John O’Donohue, to John Harms, to Martin Flanagan, to Oleg Markov, to Sarah, friends, family, neighbours.

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I feel grateful for connection in my local neighbourhood. Monday. I bump into a lovely old contact on the tram. B taught me significant things an important recent time in my life. Our smiles feel enormous as we sit together into the city and catch up.

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In 2019 I first learn of the late Irish poet, philosopher and one-time priest, John O’Donohue. I learn of him during a life-changing retreat experience. That might be future Sprouting. For the next several years his thoughts and words keep me company – as a kind of guiding light, bobbing along the path ahead. In late 2021, as I face significant mental health challenges, I choose to write a quote from John O’Donohue on a scrap of notepaper and tuck into the back of my phone case. The quote stays with me ever since:

“May I live this day
Compassionate of heart
Clear in word
Gracious in awareness
Courageous in thought
Generous in love.”

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There is much I could write here about John O’Donohue. Perhaps that is for a future Sprouting.

At the same time that I write the above quote on a scrap of notepaper, I write a second quote. This one is from a spiritual guru sort of guy known as Mooji. He’s a Jamaican.

“Whenever mind’s noise comes
Remember…
It’s all nothing, nothing, nothing.
Watch your Self.
Not your mind.”

There is much here I could write about Mooji, too. And what I have learned.

But between them, those two quotes – and the meaning held by and within each of those quotes – provide buoyancy, perspective, hope and amazement almost every day since 2021.

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It is always fun for me when my daughters and their friends come to our apartment. Young people full of life, full of ideas, of vitality, possibility.
Wednesday. I stand in the kitchen and cook a Thai red curry while three young women sit at the table, addressing their Guinness.
“What time does the first band come on?”
“Where are you guys headed?”
“I think 7:30.”
“Yeah, where is this gig?”
“Yep, 7:30.”
“We might be a bit late.”
“Yeah, we’ll miss the start.”
“We’re going to the Tote, Dad.”

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An excerpt from John O’Donohue’s writing. On the art of developing a beautiful mind.

“The world is not simply there. Everything and everyone we see, we view through the lenses of our thoughts. Your mind is where your thoughts arise and form. It is not simply with your eyes but with your mind that you see the world. So much depends on your mind: How you see yourself, who you think you are, how you see others, what you think the meaning of life is, how you see death, belief, God, darkness. Beauty is all determined by the style of mind you have.

Your mind is your greatest treasure. We become so taken up with the world, with having and doing more and more, we come to ignore who we are and forget what we see the world with. The most powerful way to change your life is to change your mind.

When you beautify your mind, you beautify your world. You learn to see differently. In what seemed like dead situations, secret possibilities and invitations begin to open before you. In old suffering that held you long paralyzed, you find new keys. When your mind awakens, your life comes alive and the creative adventure of your soul takes off. Passion and compassion become your new companions.”

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Friday. I am thrilled to again play a small role at the Footy Almanac Grand Final Eve lunch at the Royal Melbourne Hotel, Bourke Street. I reckon it is 2005 when I first became aware of John Harms. He has a Wednesday column in the Age sport section, writing about how he’d watched his Cats the previous weekend. Fan writing. Funny, insightful, relatable fan writing.

In 2013 I learn that years previously he’d started something called The Footy Almanac. And since then, I write stories there and he publishes them. We have become friends. I have stories in books!

The Grand Final Eve lunch is an annual treat. A beautiful celebration of community and of life. And for the past few years, I’ve been called on stage to offer a weather forecast for Grand Final day – teaming with BD (who works for Weatherzone). It’s a playful and enjoyable interview on stage each year.

BD, me and JT Harms on stage at the Footy Almanac Grand Final Eve lunch. Photo: Col Ritchie

Any Almanac function is full of wonderful humans – everywhere you look. Comedians, academics, business people, many former footballers, parents of sons who will play in the Grand Final the next day, and many, many Almanackers (writers). The parents of Brisbane captain Harris Andrews speak glowingly of their son. The speak of their pride in Harris winning the Jim Stynes Community Leadership award on Brownlow Night, for his work supporting those impacted by domestic violence in Brisbane.

Col Ritchie later writes this story about the lunch, and includes many of his photos (one of which I have pinched above here!)

And so on Friday it is no surprise to find myself chatting with writer extraordinaire, MC, film producer and Substacker Tony Wilson. During our yakking I refer to the contents of a letter that celebrated Australian writer Martin Flanagan once wrote. He wrote it as a public reply to a public letter that I had written to him when he left The Age newspaper in 2017. My letter and Martin’s reply were both published at The Footy Almanac site. Both stand as highlights of my life in writing. I return to Martin’s letter often. And so on Friday, I am very happy to be reminded of his letter and standing with Tony Wilson, I mention it again, in the context of good people doing good things.

“And so, David Wilson, you and I must both be brave. We are being led into a world of greed and instability and galloping inequality that is being glued together with crude versions of religion and patriotism that make it inherently belligerent…” — from Martin Flanagan’s public letter, June 2017

I HIGHLY recommend reading Martin’s letter linked here. And bookmarking it. Returning to it. Indeed, eight years on, Martin’s letter could have been written yesterday. The lessons, ideas and philosophy gifted within remain pertinent to this very moment.

For context, my letter to him, to which he writes his reply, is linked here.

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And to last Saturday. I totally enjoy it. I am thrilled to watch the Australian Football League Grand Final with wonderful old friends at the pub.

We watch in the top bar at The Lomond, Brunswick East. Beside the fireplace. Our group of four score a table by the window, in a bar full of standing footy supporters. Enthusiasts. Enthusiasts of life. A room full of good humour, happy disbelief.
“What a day!”
“Who are you going for?”
(Woman from County Galway, Ireland): “It’s lions for today, so. I’m lions to the death!”

When players of each team hastily assemble for team photos out on the ground, I am reminded of Collingwood player Oleg Markov, in those same hectic moments before the 2023 Grand Final, and how he had met that crazy wild moment.

Humans. They surprise you.

Late on Saturday the pub raffle is drawn in the bar. The game is well over. And the winning ticket-holder rolls into the bar, swaying in her red dress, waving her ticket in the air. She gets to the front of the room to collect her prize but when she sees what it is, she stops. “MEAT TRAY?! BUT I’m a VEGAN!”

The pub meat tray raffle has been won by a vegan.

The bar has its moment. Hilarious.

Hastily, the second-placed winner of the raffle happily offers to swap prizes. Which she accepts. Perfect.

Around 7:30 pm a band starts up in the main bar. A five-piece outfit plays traditional Irish music. Fiddles and whistles and a bodhrán take us well into the night.

I wrote a story about the game, in which Brisbane (18.14.122) defeated Geelong (11.9.75). This summary was part of it. It was published at the Footy Almanac yesterday: Ballad of a meat tray.

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And so that was Sproutings #100. Sproutings is a community-supported effort. So thank you, community! Thanks very much everyone who has subscribed, particularly everyone who has contributed financially to this work. Thanks for the feedback on last week’s piece on watching the TV series “Adolescence.”

I feel pretty chuffed to have published 100 pieces in 100 weeks. And not just any 100 pieces - 100 pieces that have genuinely interested me and allowed me to follow ideas, joy and curiosity.

Sproutings has been going (at least) weekly since late January 2024. And here I link to a short story called “Trailblazing” available for kindle, that was published in The Big Issue (Australia) Fiction Edition 2014.

Next week, Sproutings #101. Who knows?