I recently celebrated my 40th birthday... A number I thought was so very old, not that many years ago. Then as it got closer, for various reasons, I became to appreciate the privilege it was to reach such a milestone. And it was one I wanted to celebrate, not let pass quietly by, like we too often do.

My little nephew Will answered the phone on his 7th birthday: 'Hello, it's the birthday boy'. This didn’t just make my day, it also highlighted the stark contrast of the attitude most of us had at a similar age, to the one we develop over the years, preferring our birth'day' to go unnoticed, and unacknowledged.

I must admit I'm not usually one to want a fuss on my birthday, but the milestones I've always celebrated, and this recent one actually meant more to me than all the previous ones put together.

I’ve just spent the last 3 days with the most incredible group of people.

When I first met Sam Cawthorn last year, I felt slightly embarrassed I’d not heard much about this Young Australian of the Year (sorry Sam!). Some 10 years ago he’d had a major car crash (involving a head on with a truck...), and was pronounced dead. He was resuscitated, but left with an amputated right arm and a permanent disability in his right leg, and has gone on to make his own unique difference to the world encouraging others to ‘bounce forward’, using his story as a platform to inspire and encourage others to share theirs.

As Australia Day nears, in a country full of patriotism at home and abroad, I thought it fitting to write about 'pride', and the impact it can have on us - deep, deep within us.

It’s the kind of pride that brings a smile to your heart, a tingly sensation to your body, a little height to your torso, and goose bumps all over. We’ve all had moments like these. And if you've let yourself really 'feel it', it's something you can't forget, you don't want to forget.

“Inspiring” - it’s such a powerful word.

I feel chuffed and a little un-easy when words to that effect have come way over the last 12 months. I think it’s perhaps one of the greatest gifts - telling someone how they’ve inspired you.

But you know what… we can all inspire. We just need to find our voice!

People walk in and out of our lives all the time… they move house, they move jobs, they leave a town, they leave a country, and inevitability, they will, at some point - leave the world around us.

Tomorrow, I will be farewelling my good friend Georgie, and over the past week there have fittingly been the most beautiful words and stories shared about her. We’ve reflected, we’ve cried, we’ve been inspired, we’ve laughed and we’ve been so very grateful for having her in our lives.

And it made me think… why does it take a farewell to find the words?