I’m still pretty bad at the streaming. Not just the recording of it, but knowing WHEN to record. I think I should just try and do it naturally, be myself, as if I am recording an adventure for myself and my family (and accept that in this case, I’ve just open my family to include you as my wider family).

That way the pressure is off. I still want to do a good job, but I don’t have to stress out so much or worry about what I have to say, whether it has value, is entertaining. I can just be me.

I made my first friend in years, yesterday. DAMO !!!

Met on a park bench, passed the time chatting for something close to 3 hours, I think. I’d intended to walk around as Captain Australia promoting the charity, but I wound up sitting and talking. I hope my BIG WALK turns out like that. Sure, walking, adventure, seeing new places – but I hope I bumble along and meet people like Damo, hear their stories.

I just regret being too shy to ask if I could turn the camera on, if I’d done that, you’d have gotten to enjoy some insight, comedy, sad history, hope – anyway, met a lovely bloke who I count as a new friend.

Before that, I was invited to meet an oncology mum’s support group. What wonderful people. I was the only male in attendance, it was all this beautiful feminine energy, geared toward helping each other (and their families) move forward through the most horrible of adversaries. They gave me a cap afterward, as if I’d become a surrogate member of their tribe: I will treasure it, and wear is as I go about my day-to-day life. Such lovely people. But their stories are private, so I’ll keep them to myself.

So I didn’t do much to promote the charity, but EVEN SO, this beautiful, glorious human pulls over in her car, gets out, hugs and has kind words with me. We talk about my story, my goals, and we both start to cry a little bit. Why ? Because she donated FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS to The Kids’ Cancer Project.

That means 100 hours of research into the science behind the disease – the types of cancer that specifically target kids.

That might not have happened if not for my BIG WALK. I’m delighted by that.

My BIG WALK is healing. I’m getting better, coming alive in ways that I couldn’t have anticipated. Overcoming horrible pain, suffering and darkness. And pure truth: “Kindness is the cure to suffering”. But it’s not my own kindness that’s healing me, it’s these waves of wonderful kindness from people like Debbie (that was her name)

Instinct told me, ten months ago, that I’d be dead in the next few years if I didn’t FIGHT. Inspiration told me to reach into my past to empower my future. To try again the BIG WALK that saved my life as a child. Courage told me to make it BIGGER, in every sense: longer (Melbourne instead of Sydney) and theatrical (to help an important charity: The Kids’ Cancer Project).

And I feel so blessed, so very blessed. It’s working.

I’m coming alive again.