Art
“The Bayeux Tapestry. I was nine when I visited the gallery in France housing it. I was in awe at its sheer size and detail and how the women came together and crafted a moment in history that can be shared forever.” – Zoe, England
“Michelangelo’s sculptures seen in a book from the library when I was nine. It made me determined to travel from New Zealand to Florence to see them and fuelled my ultimate love of travel.” – Glenys, Nelson, New Zealand
“The painting The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai has been my favourite piece of art for years. For me, it represents the journey through life. Sometimes you are the mountain: strong and steadfast; sometimes you are the wave: powerful with the potential to help or hinder others. When things feel overwhelming maybe you are one of the men in the boat. The picture is something to lose yourself in and helps me understand where I am in life.” – Sarah, England
Music
“Hurricane by Bob Dylan. I first heard it when I was a sheltered, upper-middleclass, white 10-year-old. It shook me to my core and was the catalyst for my subsequent lifetime work in civil rights.” – Summer, Texas, US
“After years of emotional abuse, I left my husband. I still sing Billy Joel’s My Life to boost my morale. I feel grateful for the time when it was my mantra and brought me the peace and happiness I have in my life now.” – Ellen, Wisconsin, US
“I started training as a teacher less than three months after my beloved grandmother died from Alzheimer’s and I don’t think I’d grieved. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel helped me deal with the loss.” – Helen, County Durham, England
“The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston came out while I was struggling as a teenager. The line: ‘I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadow’ really spoke to me then and is a thread to who I am today.” – Treaclepie_4g1
Literature
“Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora. It’s an incredible story about the kindness of strangers in the darkest of times. This true story always reminds me that good is out there when I feel like humanity is failing.” – Molly, Manchester, England
“The book Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell. I wanted to live in Scotland, make furniture out of fish boxes and work with animals when I read this book aged nine. I am now 60, living in rural Aberdeenshire with my horses, and I’m an aquatic ecologist. I was inspired to protect nature by this book.” – Kathy, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
“The Abundance of Less by Andy Couturier came into my life while I was coming to terms with the trauma I experienced growing up. It is profoundly thoughtprovoking and I learn something new every time I re-read it. It has led me down a path where I am increasingly resilient and purposeful, slowly coming to terms with the chaos of my past, and the uncertain but intriguing possibilities of my future.” – Alex, Wales
Poetry
“I discovered It Couldn’t Be Done by Edgar Guest when I was a teenager. Over the years, I’ve thought of it many times as I ran into challenges, attempted something new or got discouraged. It always keeps me going. ‘Somebody said that it couldn’t be done, but he with a chuckle replied, that maybe it couldn’t, but he would be one who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried…’” – Jill, Minneapolis, US
This true story always reminds me that good is out there when I feel like humanity is failing
Photography
“As a child I was given an old magazine to read. In it was a wonderful picture of Machu Picchu in Peru. This photo sparked a lifelong passion for travel and I’ve been lucky enough to travel to many places, including Machu Picchu. More than anything it made me realise what a precious planet we have and that we must do everything we can to preserve it.” – Sue, UK
Film
“Groundhog Day. It showed me that you can turn the worst day of your life into the best day by shifting your mindset. The theme of improving your life one day at a time has been my guiding principle ever since.” – Paul, UK
“It’s a Wonderful Life. It taught me that small things can make all the difference to other people.” –Mary, London, England
Theatre
“Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night changed how I look at the world. Here’s Viola, who, after thinking she lost her brother Sebastian in a shipwreck, takes on the persona of Cesario in order to get by. It’s a beautiful story where she doesn’t have to act like a girl and can stand in her power adopting both masculine and feminine energies and falls in love. As a non-binary adult now, this was the first example of it being OK, and even empowering, to not be either gender.” – Marlowe, Chicago, US
Main image: Chelms Varthoumlien / Unsplash
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