Many things can happen in 25 years. Heck,! You need less than 25 seconds to create a baby, about 25 minutes to size somebody up, and 25 months before you get bored with the job you're in.

But 25 years gives you time to reflect, assess and look forward. In some cultures, people are married and expected to be the breadwinners by half that time. A 25 year-old human is expected to have a certain level of maturity, not the finished article obviously, but definitely past the embryonic stage. So it is with Flair. Don't know if we're up there with Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle, but we're trying.

I have a few confessions to make. About four years ago this time, I never thought I would be speaking in glowing terms about the publication. This may sound bad, but I didn't read the Flair before I started working here. And because I didn't directly write for the publication early on, even after I got here, I never read much. A few articles here and there, but it wasn't (and to an extent still isn't) the first thing I open on a Monday. I think I just figured it would be like a print version of Lifetime, which I think should be renamed MHT for man-hating television.

Terrified

When I first heard I would be transferred to the section that produces Flair, I will admit, I was terrified. Kind of like an innocent man heading to the gallows. Being a pessimist (and a good one), I envisioned getting a bunch of 'girly' stories to write. ''That's all I need,'' I thought. "No girlfriend, and now writing for Flair. People will think I'm gay!" Since that time, I've come to realise that like a visit to the dentist, it ain't so bad. Does have its moments (note the photo on the cover) and from my babbling in meetings, Kelly's World was born. (Flair readers have been disturbed ever since).

In this age, when there seems to be more equality for women, we still need a magazine geared to them. More CEOs/presidents/world leaders are still men, there are still plenty of areas in which women's voices go unheard and there are many stereotypes and old wives' tales that have yet to be debunked. I like to think that Flair has the responsibility to bring these issues to light, honour the women who have succeeded, and set the agenda of where women's priorities should lie.

Don't get me wrong. It's not all groovy all the time. But we're doing fine, all things considered. Happy 25th to the founding mothers of Flair (Jean Lowrie-Chin, take a bow) and big-ups to the current crew!

Don't cry like I am doing right now at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com.