To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily.
Not to dare is to lose oneself.
Soren Kierkegaard

It is often said that the most important relationship we have in life is the one we have with ourselves. Within this idea is a path of self-discovery and self-understanding in relationships with others — implying that our best life teachers are those with whom we have the closest connections. In this collection of poems, the author reveals her trajectory of self-understanding — evolving from a deliberate conscious desire to fulfil her potential to love and be loved. She gives herself permission to experience the risks as well as the joys that would inevitably ensue.

The collection provides glimpses into a life-altering journey as it flows from ‘deep and reflective’ poems in Part I, to the ‘hopes and dreams’ love poems of Part II, and the ‘light and joyful’ connections with nature in Part III.

An opportunity to create her own large expansive garden on top of a hill in sub-tropical Queensland, allowed the author to become fully immersed in nature’s abundant gifts — perceptually, physically and metaphysically – thereby finding unexpected treasures within herself.

About the author

Agnes Macmillan came to Australia from Scotland as a young child. She began her career as an educator of young children and progressed to tertiary education after acquiring a PhD. Her writing background has until fairly recently concentrated on formal academic publications. It was in this formal academic context that she realized that she might have a few things to say that were relevant and interesting to those in her field, thereby finding a great deal of satisfaction. A gradual transition into retirement offered her opportunities to explore more personal ways of expressing herself, such as writers’ workshops, on-line courses and retreats. Preparing the website, Exploring My Scottish Identity, allowed her to combine historical data with her own interpretations of them. Now living in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland she has ample opportunities to connect with and be inspired by nature in unexpectedly delightful and fulfilling ways.

Agnes Macmillan's online publishing profile

• Ancestry Blog: Agnesmacmillan.com.au

Academic texts in early years mathematics education:

• https://www.amazon.com.au/Numeracy-Early-Childhood-Contexts-Teaching/dp/0195567021 (4.5 Star rating)

• https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/numeracy-play-how-mathematical-is-it

• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/183693910402900207

• https://www.amazon.com.au/Deconstructing-Social-Cultural-Meanings-Postmodern/dp/1863350659

• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/183693910102600307

• https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ52

• https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Constructivism-in-a-kindergarten-mathematics-class-Macmillan/fc631e191c90e80f1ce91b263202231bf9c45f7e

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0300443981400108

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0300443981400105

Review by Judith Flitcroft

In her book of poetry, Towards a Healing Heart, Agnes Macmillan artfully executes her theme. She uses alliteration, a quiet beat and crafted peaceful words where readers can come to heal, repair and reinvent themselves.

Her recurring themes are ‘taking time to be me’ and ‘being valued’. She concludes with:

I’m getting there at last
Adversity pushes past
Creating a momentum
For integrity to hum

My favourite poem would have to be En Route to Melbourne, a poignant description of a trip to Melbourne with similarities to a life journey, ‘immersing myself in nature’s jewels’.

Available from

• https://www.booktopia.com.au/towards-a-healing-heart-agnes-macmillan/book/9781922958440.html

• https://www.amazon.com.au/Towards-Healing-Heart-Agnes-Macmillan/dp/1922958441/

• https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/towards-a-healing-heart-by-agnes-macmillan-9781922958440

• and other online bookstores