Ngahi Bidois: Annual events in our lives

Tui singing in the garden is an annual even to look forward to. What do you look forward to each year? PHOTO/FILE

What are the annual events in your life? I am not just talking about your birthday, Christmas Day or New Year's Day because everyone has those.

I am specifically talking about events that inspire, motivate and encourage you, and you get to do them once a year.

Please allow me to share a few of mine so that you get the gist of what I am talking about.

Five years ago I was invited to the Bathurst motor race by a bunch of Australian blokes.

They also invited my son. We enjoyed five days with these down-to-earth Aussies who shared a passion for motor sport.

Petrolheads the lot of us and it was fantastic. In fact it was so enjoyable that I have returned most years since and it has become an annual event for me if I can make it.

How does this event inspire, motivate and encourage me? I have a deal with my wife that as long as I have enough airpoints to pay for my flights then I can go to Bathurst.

Put simply, no speaking then no flights and no flights means no airpoints or Bathurst trip. Bathurst is my reward for hard work that I enjoy annually. What are your annual rewards?

Here's another annual event in my life. Every year around early September at least 30 tui birds come and visit us and eat the nectar from the cherry trees in our driveway.

I walk under them daily as I collect the mail or take out the rubbish and sometimes I will just go out and chill with them.

Being with those tui annually reminds me that winter is nearly over and it is time to prepare for spring.

They also remind me that I belong to a world which is much bigger than me. You see, I have no idea where they spend the rest of their year, but I get to enjoy their company for a couple of weeks.

There are other annual events in my life too such as Anzac Day out at Awahou marae, the World 240s Superstock Champs at Paradise Valley with my mate Nick Beazley and whanau, various Trust AGM hui and special days of remembering those who have gone before me.

So what are your annual events in your life that inspire, motivate and encourage you? The more events you have the better, because as the Maori proverb says, "Many stars cannot be concealed by a small cloud." Kia kaha kia maia koe.

Ngahihi o te ra Bidois is an international leadership speaker, VIP Host, author, leader, husband and father. See www.ngahibidois.com for more of his story.