The Sad Story of Arthur the Machine Gunna

We weren't gunna die wondering.

My husband Jon once worked in an aged care home as a physiotherapist.

(Which is pretty funny because Jon is six foot six. Picture a walking giant among stooped & shrunken residents.)

Although it was years ago now, one patient has stuck in Jon’s memory.

Arthur was a friendly chap in his 80’s. He had smiling eyes, but behind them was a sadness.

His wife had passed away some years earlier.

It was sudden. Heart attack.

Arthur sat in his armchair & shook his head in disbelief as he told Jon…

We were gunna get a caravan… We were gunna travel Australia… We were gunna hit the road and see this whole country.

But his wife got sick.

Before they even had a chance to realise their dream.

And Arthur ended up in an aged care home, still wondering where his dreams had gone.

Sadly, he became a ‘machine gunna’.

He was gunna do this…

He was gunna do that…

But life – rather, death – got in the way.

And the really tragic thing here is Arthur’s story is just one of many.

Jon met dozens of people in the same boat.

You might know a story like this yourself.

Someone works hard their whole life, working towards that lucrative dream of retirement… travelling… freedom…

Only to have it snatched away before they can even grasp it with their fingers.

As for Jon and I…

Arthur’s story hit home.

We had always dreamed of travelling Australia before our daughter Olive started school.

And we had every excuse under the sun to keep putting off our dream.

Jon had a business… We had two mortgages to pay off…

Plus, we had a pretty good life already!

But we were kind of waiting for our real life to start.

Then when Jon got sick during COVID we decided that was our wake-up call. We weren’t going to die wondering!

So we sold our house… bought a caravan… and hit the road.

We escaped the rat race to discover what it’s like to live on our own terms.

(Not by social norms & expectations.)

And we’ve never looked back.

Because living by what WE value – freedom, family, adventure – is what was missing from our old life.

Now for you…

Not everyone’s dream will look like this.

You might want to build your dream home…

You might want to take your family on an exotic overseas adventure…

You might want to give your kids the opportunities you never had yourself…

Whatever your dream is…

Don’t end up a ‘machine gunna’ like Arthur.

Because most people are living like they’re not dying.

And if there’s anything I’ve learned over the past few weeks since my beloved mentor passed away…

It’s that we only get one shot at being here.

This ain’t a dress rehearsal.

So play your shot.