What are the events, experiences and ancestors that affect and shape our lives?

How do we carry these experiences and influences throughout our lives?

How do they shape who we are?

What are the effects of these experiences?

Why do we turn out the way we do?




In this memoir, Tony, a psychologist for many years, asks the big questions that arise from the effects and experiences of life. He gives us an insight into how our past experiences shape our very lives and what we bring to our relationships with significant others and with ourselves.




What are these "big" issues, life influencing events and outcomes?




Tony explores how we survive these challenges and emerge a stronger, better, more independent and assertive individual.




Tony explores the "big" issues of growing up different, exploring among other things, the influences and effects of family, trauma, of bullying, of an emerging and accepting of gay sexuality, of manhood and marriage and children, financial difficulties, of travel and higher education, of work and relationships.




"We had to ride our bikes on hot summer days up the dirt track all the way to school and back again, about five kilometres each way, day after day, alone or with any of the local kids doing the same trip; the red-tailed black cockatoos calling from the bush arrkk! arrkk! as we passed. We walked for hours on warm spring days over the hills, around the swamps teeming with bird life, and along the creeks exploring the rocks and the bush, abandoned houses on old farms, learning to avoid snakes and goannas; watching the wrens and water birds; never getting lost; going as far as we liked as long as we were home in time for dinner."




Life is a huge mix of experiences, events and relationships.




As Tony makes clear, life is not all straight-forward and idyllic, but in the end life turns out The Way Life Is.