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"My friend said, "I have chosen this gift as it reminds me of you - highly intelligent and free spirited." Perhaps I am intelligent, but I'd never thought of myself as free spirited. I certainly hope the bearer of this gift didn't mean I drank too much.

As a management accountant, I have learned the necessity to question and have an eye for detail, which comes naturally to me. It's evident the majority of people are blessed with tunnel vision and only see what they want to see.

Take the delicate colours of the rainbow in this fountain. How many people who walked past me the day I took this photograph saw only the swan? Was it only me that noticed the toad basking in the sunshine by the water's edge? I spent many hours trying to capture the essence of this rare white tiger. What was he thinking about when he was watching me with those beautiful sad blue eyes?

I can see my life passing by far too quickly. The days of my colourful childhood which were filled with love and laughter. The years of my maturity increasing my knowledge and continually striving to succeed. To where I am now - open-eyed, refusing to let a day pass without learning something new.

I've come to realise I am a free spirit, exploring life, tasting experiences, holding true to the deepest parts of myself, with the courage to hear my own voice and follow my integrity

Thank you my dear friend for my beautiful dolphin."

Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am a 53 year old, young at heart, individual, a grandmother, mother, wife, and daughter, going through a mid life crisis. For over 20 years I have been dedicated to my family, at times feeling trapped, with little time for myself. My family has now moved on and to compensate I have thrown myself into my work, but still with little time for myself.

What's your story about?
How a simple gift from a friend and the words "free spirited" made me look at myself and what was going on around me. It is about my realisation as to who I am, not what I am. It is about an important turning point in my life.

Why did you choose to tell this particular story?
There must be thousands of people going through a similar mid life crisis and just by being given the opportunity to write this story it will help me and hopefully others to live our lives for ourselves rather than other people living our lives for us.

What did you find most rewarding about the workshop?
I have learnt how to write a story rather than a report. One of my passions is photography, as it captures a moment in time. The workshop has enabled me to develop my skills and knowledge of the software in order that I can successfully share my photographs with others. Most importantly, it has given me the opportunity to get a better understanding of myself.

Your comments

"A very nice and heart warming tale of how you now see life and although I'm younger and not as wise in years, I do understand and see what you see in the stressful daily duties we call life. We are all free spirits which not a lot of people seem remember or feel any more, tied down by politics, the way other people tend to perceive us, the list is endless. I could go on but will stop, a very nice piece of work though and very thought provoking ..." David Vaughan-Williams from Abergele