Hamish Holcombe
Amelia Olsen explores topics surrounding suicide after the loss of her husband.
Dirt and Dust is narratedby her 18 year old son, Riley, on their 1400km seven day motorbike ride from Cairns to Cape York.
Amelia and Riley Olsen
Amelia Olsen is an author and classroom teacher.
Her first love are horses, but motorbikes have become a close second!
Diploma of Agriculture, Bachelor of Education, Primary and Middle School (Honors),
Master of Education (Leadership & Management) and is currently studying for a PhD.
As a measure of caring and sharing for others.an Amelia quote:
"I said I dont want to write a third sad story…they reminded me…it might be sad for me but Ive turned it into something beautifully - tragic for the rest of us to try to understand "
Do you ever get the feeling of being:
Pre-programmed.
Guided or Directed.
The Olsen team of Riley and Amy’s, book “Dust & Dirt” came to me, rather than the other way round.
I was doing a general office clean up and there was the book sitting amongst a stack of others from the Goondiwindi library.
A silent energy exchange had crossed paths in just 24 hours, an energy that was to grow and reveal shared paths.
I had little idea what it was about from first glance of the cover but looked rural and regional.
Hooked to look inside but not rushed to do cover to cover.
Made a decision I should give time to further explore the writing in more depth.
It is a tragic story of a family losing a father and a husband in 2014 with the resulting strength and resolve to share their story in the hope it will assist other families to cope and understand suicide.
All about a bike ride with a mother and son working through a bucket list and while doing so the tangle of the individual mind process following a personal and private family tragedy
Really think the title could be expanded to “Dirt Dust and Guts”
The guts to physically do the ride with the bigger guts to open up to help others.
Easy to read format of a heavy topic humanised by care for others and despite very private pain, embark on a journey of exposure with increased vulnerability.
“Dirt and Dust” prompts thinking beyond the readers own comfort zone, creating awareness. Thank you:
I particularly appreciated the concept of shared perspective of age demographics, a mother and a son, complete with blunt language all through but not crass or coarse.
Think actually, the blunt manner of serves well that to emphasise the guts of the tale, it must be a ‘warts and all’ deliberate portrayal to achieve the goal of helping others.
The account must all be 100% true with no room from guesswork from the reader.
Other Risqué side references of ‘Bouncing Ovaries’ and daily expectations of, ‘Cooking, Working and Whores’ serve well to lighten of what could be all heavy reading.
Brought a chuckle from this reader.
Together you activated your bucket list.
We all need to bucket lists to continually move forward .
Looking back is not going to change anything.
The immovable and undeniable reality of life is common to all but accentuated in some.
What differs is how we deal with such change.
You identify the fine balance between meditation and overthinking… no correct answer.
Except to reinforce the only way out is to look forward.
Sometimes the trick is to just go ‘walkabout’ to see what is out there, far away from the comfort zone of the past, and that is immutable!!!
WOW:
· Page 74:
Wherever the concept or words originated from about men losing their identity when they reach the end of their working life or for whatever really big change comes around, it surely hit a nerve.
It is true that women seem to transition seamlessly to forced change of direction.
Having moved from a really busy fulfilling work, of young family and active with State as well as Federal rural political boards.
In two years [2013-2014], I found myself with a blank canvas and the need to reinvent oneself.
I so understood the struggle of re-discovering job description, direction guidelines and more importantly, identity.
Your book emphasised how we must look beyond just ourselves, to close ones that surround us, as they are effected just as much or sometimes more.
Especially children who are often the pawns in adults selfish evil games, playing on undying loyalty and the silent hope that it will get better.
Your book clearly identifies advice that kids as young as 10, will have already worked out who is playing games and who is giving them love.
· Page 98:
Your words of loving, giving fully of one self, really floored me in its intensity.
“It takes trust and time, there is nothing more special that a lady who feels safe and loved”.
“And when she does, she will invite him to enjoy her mind, her spirit and her body, enough to blow his mind”
Amy, your words above are the most powerful that I have read or heard in a long, long time.
All about the humanness of people.
Totally typifies the giving spirit of Amy Olsen.
Be a fool that crosses her though
Great stuff team Olsen.
Hamish Holcombe.
Unknown Parallel's:
January 2014
Edward was preparing for his gap year.
He did all the planning himself, it came as a bit of a surprise that he chose not to spend the year in the UK, as we thought to where his mothers family lived.
Instead, Billy chose to head to WA, north of the Nullarbor, on a million acre sheep property called “Rawlinna”
Together Billy and I travelled Goondiwindi to Adelaide to catch ‘The Indian Pacific’ to Rawlinna.
An incredible father/son journey further bonding session, complete with a single beer for both at each stop….again little did we know.
We did promise the mother one we would avoid pubs as he was still under age but as Billy said with a smile as we drove out the home drive.
Dad we still must adhere to the “Holcombe Family First Constitution Amendment” of contributing each local economy whenever we stopped.
Put the motion to a vote and the motion was passed.
Easter 2014:
Gerda and I were sitting around the kitchen table wondering how would we spend the easter break…..Umm how about a quick unplanned trip to the edge of the Nullarbor, so we went.
How did we know to go at such short notice- We will never know tha answer to that question,
Magic family time was had at the Rawlinna Muster and time for some travelling with a badly hungover son to Kalgoorlie to Norseman to Esperance before heading east along the Nullarbor to a little siding called Caiguna, where Billy was to be picked up to go back to work.
Little did we know that would be our last time together.
Caiguna is part golf course that stetches across the Nullabor
27th July 2014 :
8.30 am, Gerda and I were sitting in Goondiwindi church, unaware that at the same time on the other side of the country, seven young Australians were travelling east from Kalgoorlie were in a vehicle roll over. Two tragically ended their lives that day.
Took police until 10pm that Sunday night to find us and change our whole families lives forever.
Dear Amy,
That is our tale, heavily abbreviated, of how we are connected in loss, same pain and each different.
We both are part of a club we did not want to join, a club of loss, we think is exclusive and small.
So far from the truth, it has branches everywhere of reluctant members.
One thing for certain, we must travel forward, we in this club we don’t want to be in, must support one another, to live life to the full for those who are no longer able to.
You and your familyhave contributed to others healing with your bravery.
FURTHER CONNECTIONS ARE MIND BENDING:
Amy
"Im about to drive across the Nullarbor with my daughter…she’s moving to the west because she works in the Pilbara. So…timing…interesting that you pop up now and share your story with me"
In accordance and compliance with the “Holcombe Family First Constitution Amendment” of contributing each local economy whenever we stopped.
With heart exposed.
I have asked Amy and Jacinta to raise a schooner to Billy at the Caiguna pub and golf course fareway, on their journey west to their own youth adventures.
A priceless connection, thank you team Olsen.
THIS BOOK CAME TO ME FOR A REASON, FOR CONNECTION AND SHARING.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TOO TO SEEK THIS ONE OUT ON THE AMELIA WEBSITE
YOU WILL FIND MORE MATERIAL OF THE MINDSET OF THE AUTHOR.
Footnote:
We all have our own journeys in the club, including ourseleves, but this post is not about our time.
Writing is therapeutic for myself, I too have found relief in sharing
More information of my books and posts can be found on my website.
Hamish Holcombe 7-06-2024
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