Dear Sir,

As I sit down to write, I smile, as who else could be writing this, who else is where I am today living it and can tell the tale?

Life is a journey to live, with its challenges and excitement, and especially hope. You may ask, why hope? Hope has to be that magical ingredient to live, expecting and hoping every day. Expecting, not knowing exactly what for, but that is the mysterious key to getting up every morning to face the challenge of living: to do your best and to be proud that you are aware of that responsibility.

Youth accepts automatically as a given, and it is full of joy, fun and exploring. Then as the years tick by, establishing a kind of rhythm and an acceptance to the challenges of maturing, parenting and establishing a footprint that is to be admired and copied. Now starts the awareness of self, that you are not for ever and time now starts to come into your thinking.

Establishing a kind of unconscious discipline whereby your body starts to argue with you. Now here comes guts and courage, and if you haven’t learnt the value of a sense of humour by now, you better get one quickly, as you are in for some very weird surprises. Instant loss of memory is one of the earliest ones to shock and alarm you, and no doubt embarrass you in front of friends and strangers.

Laugh at yourself and you will be amazed how so many friends see themselves.

Now get serious about regular exercise, and don’t delay. Sleep good, consume nourishing food, no diets if you can avoid them, have fun with your friends and family. Have some “me” days. Hair, toes, nails, reading and sleeping.

These things — bonding and feeling loved and wanted — are the lovely rewards you will receive as you get older. Good friends that you have nurtured through the years will stop you from being introspective about yourself, and if you are really wise, your past response to all inquiries as to how you are, is “fine”. Practise it over again and again. The details are for family only, and not too often or too long, either.

Reading the newspaper every day and following world affairs, so you can converse with interest, is as important as any of the other things that help you to be involved.

People will be interested in you as long as you are interesting, so you should make the effort and not get left behind or lonely.

I realise all the above is not always possible because of health reasons, but your hygiene is most important, and if you need help with this, make sure you get it.

Say hello to God every day and make sure you are an ambassador of His word.

DIANA WILLIAMS