Many of us reserve joy for special occasions. We leave it in the back of the wardrobe, zipped up in a protective bag, and bring it out only when we have been given an excuse to wear it. Surely joy shouldn’t be something we set aside for births, weddings and parties? Let joy be unconfined! Let it be a frequent occurrence, and let us find it in the most mundane of events and experiences. I’m … [Read more...] about The story of everyday joy
personal stories
How I became an April Fool
Yes, it’s April Fools’ Day but this post is no joke. I am marking - rather than celebrating - a defining event. For today is the 40th anniversary of the day - Sunday April 1, 1973 - that my lovely dad had a devastating stroke, when he was only 46 years old. While I am not going tell the story of that event right now, suffice to say it changed the lives of every member of my family. My dad’s … [Read more...] about How I became an April Fool
Suddenly One Summer
It is the summer of 1976 - one of the hottest I have ever known. I am 19 years old, and personal secretary to a genial grey-haired transport specialist at the Department of the Environment who is counting the days to retirement. I have been doing this job since I left school at 18. It’s comfortable and undemanding, with a reasonable salary. I have no cause to imagine that my career will not … [Read more...] about Suddenly One Summer
A Warm Glass of Flat Cola
A friend of mine once told me that coming events cast their shadow. At the time I didn’t really know what she meant; I was too busy living in a champagne bubble to care. The year was 1988, I was the editor of a pop magazine and had no boundaries in place between work and play. I did both far too hard and the notion of a holiday was alien to me. Then the aforementioned friend invited … [Read more...] about A Warm Glass of Flat Cola
“My story is boring….” Is that true?
In all my 30 years as a journalist, interviewer, reviewer and commentator, I have yet to come across a single human being who doesn't have a unique story to tell. However, they did not necessarily know that they had a story to tell. Why? There could be many reasons. There's a part of them - probably a protecting or controlling part - that is telling the story that they are dull and boring. This … [Read more...] about “My story is boring….” Is that true?
There’s no such thing as an ordinary life
When I first started to share some of my personal stories, a part of me wondered if it was a little self-indulgent, that I might be perceived as a bit of a show-off or self-centred. Even though I always made sure that I made a wider point that would hopefully inspire my audience, the nagging voice remained. However, the more I allowed myself to be real and vulnerable, the better the response I … [Read more...] about There’s no such thing as an ordinary life