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To Hannah

You have taught me by your beautiful life, five amazing principles:

Free your heart from hatred.
Free your mind from worries.
Live simply.
Give more.
Expect less.

Every day I see your face and remember your gift.

May God bless your journey.

Foreword

Bruce Sullivan practises what he teaches and his life testifies to this. Every year he provides education to thousands of people all over the world as he shares his practical and timely insights into life, motivation and relationships.

Hannah’s Christmas Gift is a work-life balance masterpiece. It challenges the very core of our consumption-driven world and asks us to consider what is really important in our busy, modern lifestyles.

I personally believe that family, health and work are the three key areas in a person’s life that deserve all our energy and focus.

My dad passed away at the age of 82. He had a great life and lived through good times and bad. He maintained that good health, meaningful work and a happy family were the building blocks for a great life.

He was also very clear that you can’t be buried with your assets like an Egyptian Pharaoh! He would say that the most important question to ask yourself is: Will you leave the world a better place than when you arrived? It inspires my work to this day!

The idea of leaving the world a better place obviously inspires Bruce Sullivan too.

Enjoy the book … it may just change your life!

Laurie Lawrence

Australian Olympic Swim Coach and

Creator of ‘Kids Alive’ Water Safety Program

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?”

Mary Oliver, ‘The Summer Day’

Supporting Down Syndrome Association

When Hannah was born, the Down Syndrome Association in our State provided invaluable support and information. This has continued as Hannah has developed and her needs have changed.

By donating the proceeds of this book to your local Association, our goal is to provide another source of funding to allow the Associations to continue their great work.

When Hannah was born we did not know very much about Down Syndrome. There is a short synopsis of the Syndrome at the back of this book. Further information can be obtained via the Web or by contacting your local Association.

We are confident that you will personally benefit from reading this book. Your purchase will also mean that others too will benefit.

Please accept my thanks for supporting the continued work of the Down Syndrome Associations across the world.

To ensure that your purchase is registered to the Association of your choice, please visit www.BruceSullivan.com.au

Who is Hannah?

Hannah arrived just before 11pm. It was a Thursday night in September and what a long day it had been for all of us. We had waited for just on nine months for Hannah to arrive and it felt as though the last 24 hours had taken forever.

Hannah arrived to two very relieved and excited parents. She was beautiful in every sense. Her eyes blinked sleepily as she was placed gently onto Gillian’s breast.

My role included performing the final rite-of-passage into this world with the cutting of the cord. Totally mesmerised by the miracle of birth, I was too overwhelmed and too much in love to realise that something was not as it should be.

Extra equipment and medical staff had arrived. Hannah was changing colour. They removed her and started doing what dedicated professionals do. As naïve first-time parents we watched helplessly and unknowingly as they went about their work.

Hannah was not getting oxygen. The medical staff had performed their first miracle and then left with her to do their next. We waited. We hoped. We were scared too, even though no-one would admit it at the time.

Long brown hair is what I remember most, and then the Irish accent. The Registrar of the hospital had arrived to give us her speech. Critical and unstable heart condition, uncertainty about living and 95 per cent certain that Hannah had Down Syndrome.

They knew we did not know. This was not what we expected at all. Shock … disbelief … confusion. I pretended to know what it all meant. I didn’t. Down Syndrome? Will she live? What do we do? More questions than answers.

A beautiful daughter, an awesome big sister to Declan, a niece and a cousin, an enthusiastic reader, a champion swimmer, a caring genuine friend, a competent bike rider, a park junkie, playful cricketer, active member of the school choir, a dance-troop delight and gymnast, a diligent student and a permanent inspiration.

Christmas was very special that year. We were parents. Hannah would be introduced to Santa for the first time and we knew then that Santa would forever play a special part in Hannah’s life each Christmas.

As new parents we were keen to teach our children. So far I am sure we have learnt more than we have taught.

1 Life

When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

Do you just sneak a glance at who you might be?

Will you look long enough to truly know?

Or are you too busy to reflect and grow?

When you woke, were you grateful for living today,

As though this could be it, your very last day?

Have you learnt what’s important, like happiness and health,

Or are you distracted by possessions and wealth?

Does your heart have a place where your eyes just won’t go?

When you look in the mirror it’s so hard to know

If you’ve cheated a friend or worse, even you.

In this once-only life are you honest and true?

People no doubt will have the last say

About how you lived life at work and at play.

It’s your choice – so will there be standing room only?

Did you choose the right road or will you die lonely?

So when that day comes to lie down and rest

Will you look back and say that you gave it your best?

Though what stirs me most is that, right at the end,

When you take your last look will you see a great friend?

Bruce Sullivan

The Facts and the Feelings

A Fresh Perspective on Money, Life and Happiness

Choice and affluence are not things we have had to deal with for very long. Never before in the history of the world have we had so much choice, affluence and long life expectancy. We are not programmed for it.