When I hear people around me saying that they can't do anything without money, I really do feel for them.
This Editorial was done on my behalf by the_west newspapers in 2011. I had sold my Mitsubishi Lancer in Albany (WA) and I headed for Perth on a seemingly long journey, fraught with many obstacles and discoveries.
My first night spent sleeping on a park bench was a little rough on my tired body but I walked around quite a lot on that night, distributing the proceeds from the sale of my car to the homeless.
I went down to my last two dollars, heading for an Internet Cafe in Barrack Street.
Gamble, Luck or Fate, either way I put my life in my own hands because I above all people, believed in myself, and true inspiration formed its own cycle of strength.
Few people although some millionaires have simply gifted their entire wealth to the poor, have got back on their feet.
Some have tried and others have failed. I would like to think my journey was a real chance for self-discovery and belief in the skills I had learned in my lifetime.
I acheived a great many things as a homeless man, even signing Barack Obama's third birthday card, visiting Parliament House advocating for the Rights of 35,000 other homeless people who had no voice of their own, raising $100,000 for the Perth Disability Support Rally and other good tidings that will pass in the hallways of time, all done with just two dollars to my name.
And if one person can do all of this and more, there is simply no excuse why others should give up.
If you believe in yourself, you will attract positive thoughts as you begin your own journey of life.
The photograph you can see me holding, with the Auditor General in tow and a family lawyer, I almost had my very own ABN and business partnership because of it and intended sales.
My Dream was to allocate %20 of all sales to Telethon but because of loss of Interest by the Australian public, I rescinded the partnership due to poor sales.
That left me on a boat without a paddle and despite the wrath of the government, because both my wife and I both agreed to give our assets away, I really felt naked and vulnerable. But in this life I have, I was willing to take the biggest risk, albeit whatever the outcome.
As I look back, I think Sylvia and I could have done things a little better than we did but we wouldn't have changed anything for all the money in china. That's just who we were.
A number of prominent buyers were on the list, including DK Lillee Promotions in Subiaco.
Recently, I made a 'Deed Of Gift' to UWA in the hope not just for preserving the original photograph but in years to come, through their sales to students here in Australia and abroad,one day in the future they might have the funds to build a new science lab or faculty on campus.
Dare To Dream, but dreams do come true if you have the right mindset and determinable strength to put Words into Action, nothing is impossible.
Frank Burns
2013 ;-)
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/9098758/photo-helps-widower-get-back-on-feet/
