"Fifty. It’s not what I imagined, what I thought it would be like… I am not afraid of Fifty - I embrace what it has to offer.

I’m selfish, I guess. In that I have tried to live my fifty years, mostly by my own desires, motivations, and interests. There are things I might do differently but regrets …. Fuck that!

I find inspiration every day. I am still learning, exploring; dreaming and creating. There is always something to do and never enough time - so much to learn; so much that I do not know; that I am interested in.

I am enamoured by this quest of exploration. In following my curiosities. At being surprised by what lay behind each new door, around each corner and over and beyond the distant horizon. To see what is revealed. To ask new questions; have new dreams, and inspirations... there is little greater for me than the journey of learning, exploring and dreaming.

There are things that I have learned along the way - most recently from the Pandemic – that have become more clear to my personal sensibilities; the people that I surround myself with for example and the importance of my family and of caring for others and of helping those who are in need and are vulnerable.

The closer I got to Fifty - the more I began to question my life and the truths of my motivations. The things that were important to me and why. and I began to question what type of society I wanted to live in and how I could make an impact. I thought about inequality and how lucky I am because of the absolute advantages that I have been given and have experienced – and I try to acknowledge this each day – often failing – by consciously attempting to be a decent and good person. [...]"