I believe that sharing a problem makes it easier to solve and lessens the burden on you. The person who came up with ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ is a genius. I have no doubt they came up with other gems like “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” and “Pinch and a punch for the first of the month”.

I have recently discovered that sharing your success is just as rewarding. Having spent so many years being single, I have gone at a lot of problems alone. The same holds true with successes. Many of those have been celebrated alone. Now this is not a cry for sympathy, but rather a realisation that my many years of bach’ing have made me strong, resilient and perhaps in some ways selfish.

“A success shared is a success doubled” doesn’t really roll of the tongue as easily. But I think there is merit in the statement. When you share your spoils with others, then the joy is spread. And that in turns gets shared, creating a ripple effect. Much like the infectious nature of a smile, success is contagious.

Part of my growing process at the moment is allowing me to open up and share things I previously would have kept to myself. Writing them down here is part of that. So is talking more openly with people about things. I think that people should not be ashamed to talk about how they feel.

I believe that the answer to the eternal question of “What is the meaning of life?” is dynamic and changes depending on what stage of your life you are currently in. One thing that remains constant throughout this journey though, is the desire for happiness.

For me right now, being able to share this journey, both the good and bad, with someone special is bringing me great happiness.