Travelling East and West...

It was the Vietnamese-born memoirist and humanitarian Le Ly Hayslip, whose life was depicted in the Oliver Stone movie Heaven & Earth who once said, of her own existence, that she was caught between east and west. Caught between cultures, between religions and between the countries of the US and Viet Nam. This white man is also caught between east and west and, whilst admittedly not to the dramatic extent that Le Ly felt ensnared, still can relate to her feeling of constantly crossing over polaric divides. Not that I am bouncing between differing spheres of religion and the hybrid of eastern and western cultures in my house with Phuong has synthesised well over the 14 years of our marriage. At present my dominant east and west journey is literal...and geographical. Located in the north-west of Melbourne, I have become a frequent driver, traversing the city of Melbourne five days-a-week, crossing over to the suburb of my childhood and youth, the leafy eastern suburb of Camberwell. So in this way my life is again crossing divides...east to west...and back again.

This year I think I've crossed one bridge or another more times than ever before in my memory. The once spectacularly-noted cityscape view of Melbourne from the apex of the Bolte Bridge isn't so spectacular anymore. The once-felt thrill of entering the 3.5 km long Burnley Tunnel, burrowing under the Yarra River grows less every day. Yet on a positive note the early morning and afternoon drives to and from work have re-acquainted me with the world of talk-back radio which has been a cathartic distraction from the monotony of tollway traffic. Time spent behind the wheel also provides a convenient place to think, reflect and pray about life, something one can never really do too much of. So I have to say that overall my east to west journey has it's benefits and for me it is a 'glass half full' reality. Even amongst the pressing and intimidating presence of impatient truckers powering their monstrous toys and the other Formula One wannabees who can't sit still in one lane for more than five seconds, my car is my sanctuary. A place of peace, a therapeutic haven and a locale of learning as I engage not only gears but in life itself.

So the next time you bemoan the fact that a long drive awaits you stop and think about the time you can spent productively in that small place of worship that is your car. For me, west and east is my current reality but honestly I wouldn't want to have it any other way!