What are your superpowers?

I am parent, therefore have been gifted plenty of superpowers. As has every other parent.

As soon as you become a parent I am sure you have a Spiderman moment. Like Peter Parker being injected with superpowers after being bitten by a spider, having a child injects it's parents with superhuman powers.

Spiderman's powers are actually a lot like those of parents. Or perhaps that should be the other way around.

Superhuman strength

What parent hasn't carried two kids and a boot full of groceries into the house from the car, in one go?

What parent hasn't pushed a pram with one child whilst piggy-backing another and carrying a scooter?

Now that is strength. And that is not mentioning the emotional strength that you need as a parent while you navigate the murky waters of children. 

Superhuman reflexes and agility

What parent hasn't grab one leg of their child while they kamikaze off the change table, while also holding a dirty nappy?

What parent hasn't grab a drink one handed as it starts its decent to the ground, while they are stirring dinner?

What parent hasn't shown extreme agility in climbing to the top of the spider's web at the park to claim their child that has been struck down with fear and can't move?

What parent hasn't displayed awesome dance agility while busting a move with their shy child at a friend's birthday party?

Spider sense or subconscious precognitive sense of danger

What parent doesn't know the child nearing the top of the slippery dip stairs is going to tumble down instead of slide?

What parent doesn't have the subconscious sense that silence means trouble (or danger)? A child left alone in the bathroom means it will be toilet-papered within seconds. A pantry door left open ensures the floor will be floured. Textas left lying around and new artwork is sure to adorn your walls. 

Capable of healing faster 

As most parents will surely attest, when one of us is sick there is no choice but to heal fast. Kids are unaware of any parental illness. They will always look at you like you are Spiderman.

What are your superpowers?

Linking up with Always Josefa for Conversations over coffee.

What are your expectations?

Expectations. They are everywhere. Everyone has them. We pin them on ourselves and others like shiny beacons of hope, until the shine starts to fade and they become tarnished.

Some people set high expectations. While others set the bar low or have none existent expectations. Which is better I wonder?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, expectation is a strong belief that something will happen or be the case. The example they give is, "reality had not lived up to expectations". If reality isn't living up to expectation, surely it is better to have lower ones, right? Or possibly none at all.

When I was younger I saw the world through rose-coloured glasses, to some extent I still do. I had great expectations of life and love. My life was ahead of me, the world was my oyster. Arh, to be young again. These great expectations led to disappointment, sadly on more than one occasion.

As I have grown older I have tried not to expect too much. I like the idea of being surprised and not disappointed. Too many disappointments can definitely lead to a lowering of your expectations.

As for the expectations I place on myself, these ones will probably always be high. Like a lot of people it seems. The high expectations to be a great mum, wife, friend, sister, daughter, employee are always hard to lower. Isn't that always the way - we expect more of ourselves than others. We all seem to accept a lot in others that we wouldn't in ourselves. Why is that?

Are your expectations high or low?

Do you expect more from yourself than others?

Linking up with Always Josefa for Conversations with Coffee.

War is hell

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Today I was driving my parents car and having no idea how to change the radio station and not wanting to cause a car accident attempting to find out, I listened to the station they have blaring so they can actually hear it - ABC 702.

It was 11am, for those not familiar with ABC 702 this is the time for Conversations with Richard Fidler - as I found out today.

The conversation from today was recorded and first aired in 2012. It was with Michael Ware. Michael Ware was a war correspondent for Time magazine and CNN in Afghanistan and Iraq. He served the equivalent of nine combat tours and during this time was kidnapped three times.

Michael had returned a couple of years prior to this interview and had been recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

I reached my destination quicker than I thought so only heard about 10-15 minutes.

His words were harrowing. The following resonating with me for the rest of the day.

"Being cut off in traffic is a kidnapping about to happen."

"What is there new to say about war and human nature - there is nothing to say nothing new to add. There is one truth and that is war is hell. Innocence is lost."

"In a society at war you really see who you are. When you think you are about to die you realise what is most important to you, it is not the mortgage or winning the office rugby league pool, it is love, it is those who you love. There is nowhere to hide from yourself."

"Evil men do good and good men do evil. In war, you see it's best bits and its worst bits."

"A soldier doesn't fight because he hates what is in front of him, he fights because he loves what is behind him."

I used to joke with my parents that you had to be of a certain age to listen to ABC 702 - after today, maybe I have reached that age.

This programme really affected me. The experiences of war had re-programmed the way Michael saw the everyday, like driving in traffic and leaving his own apartment. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to experience war first hand, I hope I never have to find out. I cry for the people who are faced with war every day and the effects both physically and mentally that it has on them.

Do you listen to ABC 702? 

Are you a fan of Richard Fidler's conversations?