The Afterword

Tag: relationships

  • Doing Less of “More”

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    Peter
    in

    What could you do less of? My mother has always said that I do too much. She may be right. If the blog prompt asks what I could do less of, the honest answer is this: I could do less of “more.” There’s something in me—an impulse, a reflex—that thinks I can always add one…

  • The Boy Who Stepped In

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    Peter
    in

    What’s something most people don’t know about you? My first year at school was a blur of anxiety and confusion. I was only four, too young to understand what was happening. My best friend was still at home, nine months younger, and the playground felt like another planet. I hadn’t been to pre-school, so I…

  • Friendship at This Stage of Life

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    Peter
    in

    What could you try for the first time? I know it sounds strange, but I’m going to try something that comes innately to three- and four-year-olds. Something my dog does without thinking. I’m going to try to be more intentional about friendship. That might sound odd for someone who already has friends — some going…

  • Nothing to Lose, Everything to Give

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    Peter
    in

    What would you do if you lost all your possessions? It’s a confronting question — one that sounds hypothetical, except it isn’t. For me, it came close to reality. I was caught in a scam. What I thought was a small, trustworthy investment turned into a complex trap. Over time, what had seemed solid dissolved…

  • The Hidden Economy of Friendship

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    Peter
    in

    I was talking recently with a friend who noted that loneliness is a major issue for Australian men. Maybe less so for women—I’m not sure. I sometimes wonder if busyness simply covers it over. Being the boss at work comes with its own kind of solitude. Responsibility sits with me, and for now, people seek…

  • The Crush That Wasn’t

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    Peter
    in

    I was 17 and had just unlocked the holy trinity of teenage freedom: a driver’s license, a half-reliable car, and parents who happily filled the tank. Enter: her. Sixteen. Bright. Cheerful. Needed a lift home from youth group. Or outings. Or basically anywhere that I could feasibly drive without stalling. I had a crush. A…

  • Before the Days Draw Near

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    Peter
    in

    A reflection written for Robert Menzies College, Valedictory Dinner 2024 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth—when light poured freely, even in early mornings,and the world felt carved just for you,like soft clay in young hands. Before the hard questions come,before the weight of wondering presses in,find joy in laughter echoing down long…

  • A Conversation About Contentment Across Generations

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    Peter
    in

    We were five generations at the table—passing the bread, refilling cups, and circling, as families do, around big questions in small talk. Someone had tossed it in lightly, like a crouton into a bowl of soup: “Do you think it’s possible to have it all?” As the conversation deepened, the focus shifted. Maybe the better…

  • The Architecture of Relationship

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    by

    Peter
    in

    They say school prepares you for life, but I think it’s more accurate to say it reveals you to yourself. If that’s true, then high school was the first place I caught a glimpse of the person I was becoming—the kind of person I wanted to be. I didn’t have the classic prelude. No pre-school…