August 4, 2021

In January this year I was asked to contribute to some biographical notes about a distinguished figure, now deceased, who had played some part in my life. Once done it was suggested by others involved that perhaps I should write some account of my own life which has been diverse in terms of locations and activities – implying, but not saying, that perhaps I should do that before the memories faded. Wary as I was of indulging in what could look like a vanity exercise I decided to make the attempt and this became my ‘lockdown project’. By the end of April I had completed an 85 page ‘Memoir’ – not a full blown autobiography but more the anecdotal equivalent of a photograph album.

As a scholarship boy from a very ordinary unprivileged family background it has been my great good fortune to have had a wide ranging series of interesting, and often demanding, jobs and roles in the private, public and third sectors in the UK and overseas over several decades. I have worked in one of the largest multi-national companies in the UK, South America and Saudi Arabia. I have been in at the inception of three major national public sector innovations, as well as chairing two NHS Trusts, and run or supported many third sector bodies at local and regional levels. I have also had a parallel military career over 45 years involving command roles and staff activities at local, regional and UK national levels, as well as in Hong Kong, Germany and the USA.

It proved a real pleasure, and very therapeutic, to distil stories and anecdotes out of all those very varied experiences. Those of my family and friends who have read it seem to have found it readable and entertaining, which is very satisfying. However, I have absolutely no intention of seeking to publish it – that really would be a vanity exercise!

Looking back over that experience and rereading what I have written I now feel able to identify some useful lessons learned during those lockdown months – and it is those that have motivated this article and may be of interest to others:

1. Much of the time I did not fully appreciate some of the really exciting and challenging things I was doing – much of this only became apparent as I revisited the experiences.
2. Until recently I did not fully appreciate just what sacrifices my parents made in those early days – really quite phenomenal.
3. Only now do I fully grasp just how extraordinarily blessed I have been in being able to do things quite outwith the experiences of my parents and grandparents.
4. At a more personal level I have realised that much of what I have done was in no way planned but often the result of quite fortuitous circumstances just falling into place. That is humbling and a good antidote to false pride.
5. I now realise that despite the great variety and diversity of activity over the years it is possible to identify two common threads – always being willing to grasp an opportunity when it arose, however uncertain the future might have seemed, and being willing to move on when that seemed appropriate, hopefully never overstaying my welcome.

Mike Taylor
Chair
Cumbria CVS