Two of my friends have taken a massive leap of faith and have upped ship from Melbourne and moved to the remote Tiwi Islands. The Tiwi Islands are made up of Bathurst and Melville Islands, just north of the Northern Territory. They are taking up a post to manage their leisure facilities, all whilst teaching a local couple the skills to do it on their own.
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| My friends Katie and Warwick |
This is an amazingly brave decision as the Tiwi Islands are so remote and so removed from Australia, despite being a short boat/plane trip from the mainland. There are crocodiles, snakes and barely any internet. Food comes once a week by boat, so you have to have your shopping list well planned!
On a more serious note, there is a high incidence of youth suicide on the Islands and sadly the Tiwi Islands had the highest rate of suicide in the world between 2000-2005. I am certain that by giving the young people access to leisure activities and a sense of belonging, they will make a real difference to their lives and to the community as a whole.
Its these kinds of leaps of faith that have you wondering if we are making the most of our lives. After reading Julia from the Urban Slants' wonderful blog posts on taking a leap of faith, I am really thinking about what I am doing with my life and if I am truly happy, or making the most of opportunities. Whilst I am not too keen on moving all the way to a remote community (no internet, wow!!), I am certainly re-assessing a lot of things.
Do you think we become too complacent and comfortable? Have you ever taken a leap of faith?
