I marched into the Greenpeace office in Surry Hills and walked out with a job. I was a direct campaigner, door-to-door canvassing for monthly supporters. There were about 25 of us in the fundraising … [Read more...]
SUMMER
Summer is the publisher of Sun on my Parade. She has been a professional writer and photographer since 1996.
Chapter 11 – Ariel
I stared in disbelief at the two pink lines. This can't be happening again. Not again, please no. But it was. This baby felt like the same soul - a girl - and I couldn't have her to the man I had left … [Read more...]
Chapter 10 – Smells like teen spirit
I loved road tripping. Music blaring, windows down and nothing but adventure ahead. We were young, in love, and free. My boyfriend and I got along famously - we shared a passion for music, beaches and … [Read more...]
Chapter 9 – Fools gold
I left home just after my 17th birthday to go to university. I had no idea what career I wanted. I'd been accepted into a nursing degree. All the women on both sides of my family - with the exception … [Read more...]
Chapter 8 – Wild child
I was ricocheting off the rails. Despite my grounding, I went out. I'd sneak out of my bedroom window after mum was asleep to smoke cigarettes in the nearby park or find someone to buy me drinks at … [Read more...]
Chapter 7 – The cure
The local drive-in was the place to be on a Friday night. It was where anything worth talking about happened. My friends have a bottle of Jim Beam whiskey. We head to the public toilets behind the … [Read more...]
Chapter 6 – Stay young
Growing up in my hometown was pretty special. It was a small country town, a short drive to the beach and 100km from the closest city. There were surfies, hippies, yuppies, farmers and bogans. … [Read more...]
Chapter 5 – Burning up
Researcher storyteller Brené Brown defines shame as a focus on self, guilt as a focus on behaviour. Shame is, 'I am bad'. Guilt is, 'I did something bad'. She found shame is highly correlated with … [Read more...]
Chapter 4 – Shivers
One day, when I was 12, he phoned our house. "Hello." "Hi Summer, guess who this is." "I don't know." "It's your father. I'm coming to see you tomorrow." "Oh." I waited nervously outside the gate of … [Read more...]
Chapter 3 – Aotearoa
Summer was always my favourite season. First came my birthday, then Christmas. I loved the feeling of waking up on the first day of summer. You could already feel the heat in the air and, pulling back … [Read more...]