I've been around for sufficiently long now that I feel like I'm writing from a place of experience.

There are mistakes I've made, some of which have been significant.

There are non-obvious lessons I've learned.

There are opinions and an outlook on life that define who I am.

I started writing when considering a major life decision: should I sell my business or not. The structured act of writing helped me to organize my thoughts and be resolute in my decision.

I've made mistakes where it wasn't immediately apparent to me how I could avoid making the same mistake again. Writing lets me probe the why, and make a permanent record that lives more indelibly in my thoughts than a memory.

As our family has grown to two, soon to be three, children, I think about how little I know about how my parents see the world and their life stories. It brings me joy to imagine a time in future where my kids, perhaps after I've passed, read my words and feel close to me.

Profound thoughts can swirl round and round in my head, as if my brain views them as valuable. Only when I write does it let them go, presumably leaving a pointer to  where I've written them down.

And finally, I get satisfaction when strangers and friends tell me that my stories have resonated with them.