Drafted in December 2020

As I reach the age of 50, I have decided to write a personal manifesto.

I do not write flippantly or lightly, but after much thought and consideration these 50 years. The contents herein provide a record of how I see things at this moment in my life and provide a beacon for the path I wish to tread.

To help the reader here is a definition - A personal manifesto is a declaration of your core values and beliefs, what you stand for, and how you intend to live your life. It functions both as a statement of principles and as a call to action.[1]

[1] Taken from the website https://daringtolivefully.com/personal-manifesto

Sapientiam quaerere can be translated ‘Search for wisdom’.

My Manifesto has 4 articles of institution.

·       Article 1 - Live in the present.

·       Article 2 - Choose the ‘one thing’.

·       Article 3 - Lower the bar for joy.

·       Article 4 – Focus energy well.

Article 1 - Live in the present

I believe that all we have is this present moment every day of our lives.

By contrast, the past is often full of regret and can fill our minds with anxiety about how we should have handled situations in a different way or behaved better.

In the same vein, the future is often full of anxiety about what might happen and how situations may turn out.

Here’s what I know for sure; the past is done, and the future rarely turns out like you think it will in your mind’s eye.

I want to live in a world where each moment is savoured, drunk in, lived in.

I believe that all we have is this present moment, the moment that is now, every day of our lives. That is the place where I intentionally desire to be.

Article 2 - Choose the ‘one thing’

It seems to me that people get caught up in too much ‘stuff’. These endless involvements create layer upon layer of mind-numbing nonsense. Too many situations occur where you follow the crowd for fear of how others might see you. And the result? Too many burdens are wearily carried.

I believe that amidst the ever-changing scenery of life, the key choice is to choose the ‘one thing’.

Think about it for a second. What is the one thing that makes your heart sing?

What is the one thing that when you do it you think to yourself ‘I could do this forever!’.

So, at each turn, when I have worked out when to say ‘yes’, I will know when to say ‘no’ and actively say it.

In choosing the ‘one thing’ I will not worry about life, because here’s what I know for sure, worry never produced any good fruit.

Article 3 – Lower the bar for joy

I believe that joy is everywhere.

I believe that joy is waiting to be found in unseen places.

I believe that joy is life changing.

This is a choice which we all face.

Misery or joy. Complaining or joy. Boredom or joy.

The question is, ‘with what kind of eyes do you see?’.

Joy is everywhere if you are willing to see it. It is in the smile of the stranger and in the leaves of the forest. It is in the complexity of engineering and in the simplest bowl of breakfast cereal.

Joy can bring people together to embrace a shared moment or be sensed and cherished alone in the silence of solitude.

Here’s what I know for sure; I want to gather up as much joy as I possibly can and share it with everyone I possibly can.

So, lower the bar, see it, and take in all that joy has for you.

Article 4 – Focus energy well

Over the last 50 years I have been to many places and done some interesting things. I have shared time with others in lots of initiatives, worked in some interesting job roles and spent time serving and helping in a variety of diverse situations.

I am grateful to the experience gained from all these ‘events’ which have often enriched life and brought me to this moment.

I know I am not perfect. I know I have made mistakes along the way. I am not oblivious to the condition of my heart.

I need maintenance
I need patience
I'm not foolproof
I'm not waterproof
I'm not shockproof
Bombproof
Bulletproof
Fireproof
Leakproof
Childproof
Stainproof
Pressureproof[1]

As I turn 50, I want to bring a new clarity to my choices and put down things that sap life of its energy.

For too long I have carried out my duty diligently, although I would not change a thing in that regard.

In a spirit of positivity and change, the gloves are now off.

I want to live in a world where I choose how to spend my energies, rather than living under the expectations of others. I will not hide behind what others think or care unnecessarily about appeasing the agendas of those around me.

I promise only this; to listen, to say what I think and be true to my word.

In saying that, I will seek out community at every turn to hear, see and feel the delights of connection, for in being together we learn and grow.

[1] Extract from Marillion: Quartz released on the studio album ‘Anoraknophobia’ 15th May 2001.