THE HEADLESS DUCK

The Headless Duck is a  crazy name but there is a story behind it and it is because of that story that this site even exists.

I was maybe 4 years old and my family was poor.

I had a single Mum and in those days it was a very hard life for any Mother who tried to take care of children by herself.

One Year it was coming up to Christmas but things were pretty bleak for us.

We did not have a lot and so, when an unexpected “windfall” came along, it was a BIG event.

Suddenly someone (I cannot remember exactly who it was) arrived, and presented us with a duck.

I cannot remember the story of exactly how we came by it, but it created great excitement.

We lived (squatted actually) in a local hall that was unused.

It had served many purposes for the community, one of which was as a church. Now it was our home.

It was an impressive structure built up high, with the ground falling away to the rear.

The family used this convenient area, under the house, as the laundry.

There was a copper for boiling the water, 2 tubs for washing in and even a clothes wringer.

The clothes wringer was used for removing most of the water, from the washing, before hanging it out to dry.

These were the days of minimal conveniences.

We also had our woodpile located here, with the axe, and the chopping block.

It was this chopping block that the hapless duck was brought to and summarily dispatched.

Behind the hall was the clothes line and then a timbered area with some tall trees.

Next it was all hands to getting the wood chopped, and the copper fired up.

So that we could have boiling water for the “plucking the duck” ceremony.

During this time the headless duck had been placed down quietly on a grassed area.

Suddenly, and causing great consternation, the headless duck got up and starting running around.

Then, just as some people tried to catch it, it spread it’s great wings and took off flying.

looked on in disbelief. It was impossible to understand what they were actually seeing.

Everyone was stunned!

The duck soared majestically and headed for the tree line at the back of the property.

It was gathering height all the time, but it was looking like it would crash into those trees.

Then it would probably plummet to the ground.

I realised this and so I started to run down to the treeline, but I kept my eyes on the duck all of the time.

The duck started getting closer, and closer to the trees.

It was obvious that it would crash into, at least, one of them

But then, all of a sudden, as if it saw the impending trees, it soared again.

Even higher this time and cleared the trees.

Everyone just stood around in total shock.

No one could believe what they had just witnessed.

We searched and searched that bush for the duck but never found it.

It had flown into oblivion.

I thought a lot about that duck.

I thought about the Christmas dinner that we nearly had.

The GREAT Christmas dinner, that we missed.  

Ever since then that duck has caused me to do much thinking.

How did that duck get up and run around?

How did it, and why did it, start flying?

Did it sense people were trying to catch it?

Where did it disappear to?

How long would it keep flying for?

Was it dead (without it’s head) or was it still alive?

Most importantly, and I still think (and remember) about this today, …

how did it know to soar even higher to clear those trees?

It’s head had already been fed to the dogs so it had no eyes to see.

It was a long time ago but it is because of that experience this site exists.

It was that experience that started me asking myself a lot of questions about life.

I have been blessed with my life.

It has taken me many places most people will never go.

I have experienced many things that most people will never experience.

I have met so many marvelous people and been allowed to share with them.

I have been exposed to, and learnt, so much.

Those experiences have helped me tremendously with other areas of my life.

I have learnt that no matter how much you learn it is actually understanding what you learn that is most important.

No one can teach us, it is up to us to learn (and then, hopefully, try to understand).

Even understanding is dimensional.

We can think that we understand something until a new experience suddenly exposes more

(and then we realise that we did not really understand at all and there is probably still more).

Experiences like that help those, who want to understand, to realise that an important quality, to maintain in life, is humility.

If knowledge is power then understanding is absolute.

I am now on my way out. My life is coming to an end.

I am now starting to soar with the Headless Duck.

So I will try to share some of my experiences with anyone who wants to listen.

I am not significant, my life is not of consequence.

But many of the things that I have been allowed to experience are very important.

I will try to share them with you the best way that I can.

I hope that some of them may help you.

The Headless Duck shares my blind trip through life.

Exposing events, observations made and lessons learnt.

If you find anything helpful then please share with others.

Life is not about what we give or receive but what we selflessly, genuinely and honestly share with others.

Build ourselves Bigger, Better, Stronger so we can then support ourselves better and most importantly …  then help others.

But it is ourselves that we have to work on … not anyone else.

If we all work together, help each other, then we can all get to where we want to go and create a better world along the way.

It all starts, and ends, with us.

Life should be about being of service to each other.

Accepting responsibility, in all forms, is an important part of our existence.

Always think of other people before ourselves and accept our responsibilities to, not for, others.