Chris Bonington: What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

The question

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

Verbatim recurring item in The Guardian Q&A; two fully readable publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Chris Bonington

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Whenever things seem absolutely terrible, to see that you’re alive and that’s all that matters.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 22 March 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

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Frank Cottrell-Boyce British screenwriter, novelist and actor

That it’s impossible to persuade other people of the value of the lessons that life has taught you.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 22 July 2023 source ↗

Andy Serkis English actor

Be in the moment.

Recorded Rosanna Greenstreet, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 July 2017 source ↗

Albie Sachs Anti-apartheid lawyer; Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa

But there’s nothing like that quality of leading a decent, dignified life, meeting up with other people who have similar ideals, expressing kindness and love and curiosity and challenging and argument and the excitement of ideas. Ideas can be marvelous.

Recorded Interview, Cape Town, South Africa, American Academy of Achievement, 3 July 2009 source ↗

Marina Diamandis

Genuine love is given freely, not by force.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 June 2025 source ↗