Turning Point

A turning point is, by definition, a moment when the course of events is changed; when there is a change in direction; or an event marking a unique and important historical change. And we all have them, don't we? I'll bet that right now, having only really read a sentence or two, you are already thinking of a pivotal event in your own history. A moment in time when everything shifted. It might have been a major event like graduation; marriage or the birth of your first child. Or it could have been a smaller, less seemingly significant moment like someone giving up their seat for you on the bus; a compliment from a stranger or the purchase of a new winter coat that makes you feel special.

Whatever your own turning point, All About Me is challenging you to get it down on paper for our second challenge of the month and here's my own interpretation -


In my penultimate year at university, I travelled to Namibia to conduct a socio-economic study of a small community in the Northern Kunene Region of the country. This was in so many ways, a turning point in my life - or series of them - I left the country by myself for the very first time; I met my first ostrich; I started eating meat again after ten years as a vegetarian!

I could fill a whole album with layouts about the things I learnt, discovered and stumbled across while I was studying, but the thing that I remember the most clearly was asking to live as part of one of the community's family groups for a while. My pre-conceptions disappeared and I learnt more about life in that short time than I had ever experienced before. I learnt about laughter, beauty, pain, hardship and courage. And I learnt about myself. I came to a turning point and when I glanced back, everything looked different.

The rest of the Design Team have really rocked this challenge, so head on over to All About Me to have a look at their interpretations and, if you're interested, take a look at the Design Team Call.