Back in 2019, before “furloughed” was even a word, I wanted to write a book called 20/20. The idea being that the more I look at life, the more I think it important that every woman (frankly every man as well) should have one friend that is twenty years older and one that is twenty years younger. 2020 put paid to publishing that book as so many other issues seemed far more important, not least of which our individual health, but I wanted to revisit this subject. Of course, we have relatives with these age gaps, but it’s not the same as a friend and we can learn so much that helps our other relationships from our 20/20 friends. In this first programme of three (two are with Carol), I interview my friend Carol (73 years old) she talks about her time as a nurse at St Barts in London, moving to the USA on an exchange programme in her teenage years and what life has taught her. Carol now lives in a hospice, with serious health problems but her humour, wisdom and zest for life remain undaunted - a lesson for all of us in challenging times.