A better way to live

"I read your blog," Serene said. "I like it very much," chipped in Pauline.

No one who writes a blog knows how it will be received. But all bloggers soon find out. I am beginning to hear from those who had read PEr Chronicles. They all said pretty much the same thing: You told my story.

In our early 20s, we did what was required to get ahead. We put in long hours, took on extra work. Were faster and smarter in order to beat the competition.

We hit our 30s going strong and began to reap the rewards of our hard work. Promotions, better pay, status. As we closed in on our 40th birthday - for me it happened in my late 30s - but for some it can happen as late as the early 50s, we probably feel a combination of battle fatigue and success panic. We began to realise we couldn't or wouldn't live this way forever.

The inner voice asks: "If I really did what I wanted to do, what would I be doing?"

At least that's what happened to me half a decade ago.

ACE (left) and friends: doing what they wanted