THE sudden death of very likeable Fremantle Ports CEO Michael Parker at the age of only 52, and the death of my good mate Henty Farrar last year, who died withing three months of having been diagnosed with a brain tumour, made me contemplate how important it is to get the balance of life right.

It is so difficult to resist the performance pressure we are all under from an early age. 

We are expected to excel at school, university, work, and with our partnerships. 

Nothing short of perfection is acceptable, and that often creates huge emotional stress. 

Many believe they have failed, because they are not great at everything, and they end up with depression.

We live in a time of mad and unsustainable consumerism and entitlement. 

We demand that our governments bail us out, because we allegedly have the right to a better lifestyle. 

We whinge about everything and the main media and politicians in opposition are happy to play the game, and keep telling us that we deserve better and that our governments are failing us. 

That creates a social media environment of accusations, blame, conspiracy and nastiness.

I have no doubt that there are a lot of people who are battling the cost of living crisis, but I am doubtful that it is as dramatic as the media want us to believe. 

As someone who lives on the government pension, that is $ 1,300 a fortnight, I am managing well and refrain from exuberance and over spending. 

My food shopping is deliberate, so I often buy what is on special.

I only go out once a week for a few drinks and share a meal with a mate, and I no longer travel. 

But I am far away from any hardship. 

I have a secure, albeit small, income and secure tenure of the small inner city apartment I live in, and I now longer drive a car.

They are small sacrifices I am happy to accept, as long as it enables me to continue to live in Fremantle, the city I love.

The world is full of people who have a sense of entitlement. 

Entitlement

They believe it should be their right to earn more every year, and that governments should do more for them, without raising taxes or council rates. 

They believe they have a right to a bigger car, bigger TV, bigger fridge, bigger holidays, etc. 

The me, me, me society is ruthless in its selfishness. 

Why care about climate change and rising sea levels, when I want to build a house close to the coast. 

I have a right to uninterrupted views when I build and no one should be allowed to take them from me.

We go through a long period of our lives getting the balance all wrong, believing life is all about achievement, making a career and earning a lot of money. 

We forget to take time out to play, relax, and contemplate what life is all about. 

We forget that life is not indefinite, but only that relatively short period where we make the ends between birth and death meet. 

Life does not come with guarantees. Shit happens. 

We are here today, but might be gone tomorrow, so why are we so negative about most things and have so little tolerance?

We’ll all die, and some of us sadly die far too young. 

And every time that happens should be a wake up call for us all, that life is so much more than career and possessions, and that we should be grateful every day for good friends, good health, and our families. 

We need to relearn to milk the day, to see and appreciate the beauty in life.

We should not allow the negativity of the main and social media, and that of opposition politicians confuse us into believing all the rubbish that is thrown at us.

As someone who survived two deep and long depressions, I have learned to constantly look for the small beauties that life offers us. 

It can be something as simple for this photographer as noticing a  reflection in a window, a car bonnet, a rainwater puddle, or the lovely smile of someone who takes my coffee order, or a stranger telling me how much they like my column in the Fremantle Herald.

I am immensely grateful that I live in Freo, where most people care and are willing to share. 

Life is so much better than what the media wants us to believe. 

Life is good, because most people in the world are good. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Roel Loopers