The incredible and very special journey of my column “Life Begins at 50” has come to its end. It lasted for seven wonderful years.

With the help of my tireless husband, Bill, I wrote close to 250 articles, and never missed a deadline.

Along the way, I published Siberia to Bermuda. Live. Love. Laugh, a coffee-table book that is a collection of my favourite stories from The Royal Gazette with accompanying photographs.

The most important experiences for me on this journey were when I met someone, even a stranger to Bermuda, who said: “Your article inspired me. It made me smile.”

Others have said: “When I open the newspaper and I see your column, I know it will be positive, you will bring a bright moment to my day.”

I took you with me on my life’s journey from a childhood home on the distant shores and midnight blue cold waters of Lake Baikal, Siberia, with its endless boreal forests, to the shimmering turquoise seas of Bermuda and its pink sands sculpted by the mighty Gulf Stream.

I shared with you my ongoing love story with Bill, starting with our fateful meeting in Dockyard 11 years ago, when leaving my cruise ship, I asked him for directions out of a crowd of hundreds.

I wrote about our first date … my first time ever snorkelling, and he took me to the wreck of The Constellation, miles offshore.

Years later, I wrote straight through my fight with cancer, never giving up hope, and I reminisced with stories about my parents raising me in Soviet Russia through the eyes of a little girl.

With Bill, I described our love affair with the turquoise ocean that surrounds us all on this far flung gem of an island; our astonishing interactions as ocean swimmers with fish, hurricanes, clouds and the sheer beauty of this great blue frontier that makes Bermuda the most beautiful island on our planet.

I wrote about fascinating and talented Bermudians I met, each one with a life changing story.

In the last four years I described our exotic winter months in Thailand where Bill and I decided to live in the wild mountains of the Golden Triangle each winter.

I shared with you my energy and my dreams.

You inspired me to start the first Laughing Club, the Healing Vibes programme for cancer patients and survivors, my Calming the Waters Qigong class; you motivated me to do a 2km swim that raised money for “New and Beautiful You”, a beauty tutorial for women struggling with cancer.

Every time I came across something unusual or met a fascinating person, I always exclaimed: “This will be a new article!”

I was always sincere in wanting to ignite people’s imaginations and help them believe everything is possible; that you can fall in love at any age, just like a teenager.

You can start a new career, you can fight serious illness, you can dance and laugh through life and be happy and joyful through good times and bad.

Most importantly, I described the warmth and goodness of the Bermudian people, who never failed to offer me affection, trust, support and kindness amid endless laughter and good humour.

We live in a unique natural paradise, yet it is the gentle hearts of Bermudians with their unfailing politeness and consideration that make me feel so at home.

I have found true love and happiness here in Bermuda, and I will always be grateful to be a small part of this welcoming community, unlike any other.

This column was the first time in my life when I opened my soul and wrote very personal stories. I felt that I might help someone to believe in love again, to be strong in the face of despair.

Bill and I formed a strong team to write a story every other week that would touch someone’s heart.

We wanted to make people smile, to feel that they are with us in exotic countries like Bali, where we spent five amazing months during the pandemic.

We often returned to our own love story to fill discouraged hearts with possibility.

In my first article, I lay on the floating dock at Pompano Beach and described the graceful ballet of longtail birds in the pure summer sky.

My last articles were about saving Hope, a young longtail washed up on the South Shore, and eventually sending her out into the vast mystery of the Southern Ocean, where she flew with confidence and determination to where I will never know.

Like Hope, I am spreading my wings and flying on a new journey, yet I will always remember my dear readers who came with me so far and with so much affection, appreciation and support.

“Thank you” to The Royal Gazette for giving me the freedom to tell my story.

• Nina London is the founder of Mermaid Wellness Centre for Women and a certified Chi Gong and Laughter Yoga teacher. Her mission is to support and inspire mature women to make positive changes in their bodies and minds. Contact her at ninalondon.com and on Instagram: @coachninalondon