Anzac Day, observed on the 25th of April, is a special day for all Australians and New Zealanders.
It’s a time of remembrance and a time for us all to be grateful for the sacrifices made by service men and women that fought for us at war.
I was lucky enough to visit the Australian War Memorial in Villiers-Bretonneux in the North of France where many Australians fought and died alongside the French in WWI at that very spot.
Being the centennial anniversary there were a lot of Aussies in attendance, and a very moving experience as all the dawn services were across the country this year.
I’ve never understood the concept of war.
However, I’ve always respected and felt a sense of pride whenever I saw the diggers march down the main street of town on this special day.
Each year there are a few less of the old blokes marching but every year they bring awareness to help us commemorate and reflect on the many different meanings of war.
We live in a pretty lucky country and it’s easy to forget how lucky we really are. There are no bullets flying over our head, we have no starvation and everyone can generally live a “good” life.
The problem with a good life is that we can become complacent
Having a good life handed to you can often lead to taking what you have for granted, which is why I’m a big believer in constantly asking yourself the question, “What am I grateful for today?”
A wise person once told me that a good life can often be the enemy of a great life.
A good life means we are happy enough to go along with whatever happens, taking things as they come and not necessarily taking any steps to improving our situation.
The truth is you can have so much more in life – you can have a great life!
It’s my belief that we should be striving for a great life because we have been given the gift of life in the first place.
I would go so far as to say that it’s our obligation to search for our special gifts that we have been given so that we can share them with the world.
By personally developing yourself, you become acutely aware of what your purpose is in life. I believe your purpose is the gift you leave behind…. it’s your contribution to making the world a better place.
Watching the ANZAC dawn service, I began to realise the legacy these people had left behind. It’s not something they chose but they have the honour of bestowing their gift on all of us.
Choose to strive to be the best version of yourself that you can be and know that you can have a great life!
John Schumann manages to capture the spirit of the ANZAC with his stirring lyrics in “I was only 19” .
Have a listen and while you watch the images have a think about what you want to do with your life and what legacy you would leave behind.
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