Finding My Virginity: The New Autobiography
Page 45
Letters like these are completely unreal but have to be faced someday. The chances are that we’ll both die in our beds of old age—but even then these things need to be addressed. In any event I feel much better having left everything in some kind of order.
Still trying to say it—sorry!
Love you very much
Richard
We smiled as we read the letter together and I thought back to all I could have missed out on. Holding Joan’s hand, we began reading my letter to my children.
Dear Holly and Sam,
Most dads in these modern times don’t put their children through what I regularly do to you.
It should only be at the time of war that children say their farewells to their dads with that unspoken concern that they may never see each other again.
So why do I do it to you? In the past I suspect I was seeking adventure, young, seeing what I was capable of, testing myself and my team to the limit, testing the equipment, having a lot of fun and perhaps being thoroughly irresponsible.
Now I sincerely believe that all the flights we’ve had in the past—all the difficulties we’ve been through—all the experience we’ve gained have come together to create a balloon and capsule that can and will make it around the world, and hopefully home for Boxing Day.
I wouldn’t change a word of the letter I wrote for you (which you will read in a book I’ve written for you both called Losing My Virginity) in case everything went wrong on my first ballooning trip. The only thing I will add is that at Virgin we have a company that you should be proud of. We have wonderful people who make up those companies who you should be even more proud of, who together have built up one of the best companies in Britain. If one or both of you are interested, in time this team will take you under their wing and help train you into all the workings of Virgin.
For a number of years you should be great listeners for there is a lot to learn. You should roll up your sleeves—have fun—and try out everything and in time hopefully become capable of being leaders of people too. The way to become a great leader is to look for the best in people—seldom criticize—always praise.
You will also have to earn your leadership—but must accept you may never earn it. It won’t be easy. People will be cynical. Suspicious. You mustn’t earn it because you are my children—but despite of the fact that you are my children. You have to prove how good you are with people and what good listeners you are.
You may on the other hand have no interest in getting involved with Virgin and that’s fine too. Holly, you may wish to continue to pursue your career as a doctor—and prove to yourself what you are capable of. One day in the future, however, you could find that your medical experience could overlap with Virgin.
As to you, Sam, it’s too early to tell—prove to yourself what you’re capable of. It’s an awful lot. And let Steve Ridgway, mum and others help and guide you. There’s wonderful friends and people around you to give you advice. Keep this letter and read it again on your eighteenth birthday.
Anyway—whatever happens—I’m off on a wonderful voyage.
Love Dad
P.S. Love you both very much.
Turning to my family, a little misty-eyed, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, it’s funny how things turn out. I’m glad you never had to read these letters, until now, when we can look at them and smile.” I couldn’t get the letters out of my mind, and the next morning I woke up early and wrote just one more letter, to my new grandson, Bluey.
My dear Bluey,
A few weeks ago you came into this world, my fourth grandchild and newest miracle to arrive in our lives. I wanted to set down in ink how much you have to look forward to. As I write this, you are sitting on your grandma’s lap, sleeping peacefully. Your big sister Eva-Deia, is playing nearby with your cousins Artie and Etta. They are drawing squiggles all over my notes, creating treasure out of paper. They have the biggest smiles on their faces, even larger now their newest playmate has joined them in the world. Your mummy and daddy are overjoyed you have arrived, and your granny and I are beside ourselves with excitement. As you will discover more every day, you are the most precious new member of a family who will do anything for each other.
2017 is a scary time to enter the world. The challenges facing us all, from threats to democracy to climate change, cannot be underestimated. The key is to see these as opportunities and embrace the challenge rather than shy away. I take great heart from new generations, who are far more understanding, compassionate and purposeful than any that have gone before. I love surrounding myself with young people, and I’m sure they keep me youthful, educate me and open my eyes to new ideas. As we get older it is a danger to get set in our ways and believe what we believe. I love having my mind changed. That is one of the challenges I entrust to you, your sister and cousins too.
We are sitting at the Temple on Necker Island early in the morning, looking out over to the flamingo pond as two of our beautiful pink birds soar gently overhead. It was in this exact spot that my heart sank when I learned of VSS Enterprise’s accident. It was a stomach-wrenching moment. Since then, the team have worked day and night to build and test our new spaceship. A few days ago I saw VSS Unity fly by herself for the third time. I cried as the glistening silver craft glided through the cold Mojave air, carrying the hopes and dreams of many with her. Just watching the awestruck faces of the people working on the project, and the delight in the eyes of their children, was simply magical. I believe you will go to space when you are old enough. It may take longer than we expected, but space is hard and the end result will be that much safer and better. Ultimately any project needs a bit of good fortune, and I believe we will get there.
You have entered a world where you have limitless opportunities. You are part of a bigger family than your relations alone—you are part of the Virgin family. For many, many years at Virgin we were literally struggling to survive. It was a long learning process, with no outside financial backing, and we were fumbling in the dark. We hadn’t been taught what to do, we were learning on the job with no experience whatsoever. Everything was fresh and new, and there was a first time for everything. All of that is ahead of you. There will be so many failures, so many mistakes, but so many triumphs, so much joy and so much laughter.
Now I have learned a thing or two about the world, I hope to pass my experience on to my grandchildren and, through business and philanthropy, try to make the world a better place for you to grow up in. I know more now. I am less innocent. But it is important to realize I still have a hell of a lot to learn. There is so much more left for me to experience and explore, so many people better than myself to learn from. I will continue questioning, questioning, questioning. I will never completely get to the truth, but I want my life to be one long strive to get there.
I have learned so much from Etta, Artie and Eva-Deia already. Watching them as toddlers reminded me that you don’t learn to walk by following the rules. You learn by doing and by falling over. It will be the same for you, as it still is for me. All we can do is keep moving forward, falling over, supporting each other and getting back up again. As we get older it is hard to maintain the sense of adventure you have been born with, and I want you to help me keep hold of my childlike spirit of wonder. I can’t wait to read you Where The Wild Things Are and The Owl and the Pussycat. I’m looking forward to taking you out in the fresh air, surrounded by nature, and teaching you to swim in the ocean. I want to show you how to play tennis and chess and go on adventures together. I’m sure you will have far more to teach me too.
By the time you read this, the world will have transformed again. When I think to what 2050 will look like, my mind whirrs to you visiting for my 100th birthday on a supersonic flight, staying at space hotels and being connected to every person on the planet. Back on Earth, if I start predicting the future I worry I sound like a Miss World contestant. Yes, I do want to see a world wi
thout conflict. I want to see the ocean protected and species preserved. I want equal rights for all, an end to the death penalty and the war on drugs. I want education transformed to become useful and practical, cities reimagined as environmentally-friendly open spaces, diseases controlled, poverty eradicated and entrepreneurship stimulated globally. But the exciting thing is these big aspirations are all achievable. I hope setbacks like Brexit and the US election do not hinder the positive progress of the past few decades. It is up to us all to press on.
Your great-grandmother and great-grandfather always told me how seeing your daddy and Auntie Holly grow up was among their greatest joys, and I understand that now. Your granny and I would love to see you grow up in the same way and we’ll be doing everything we can to keep fit and healthy and stay around. It is frightening, when I think of the close-calls on my adventures, that I may never have met you. When I fell off my bike last year, my life flashed before my eyes for a second—this book has been a chance to dwell on life for a little longer. When I saw your little face for the first time, and held your tiny hand, I thought about everything that had brought us to this most joyful moment. I don’t think I would change any parts of it, and I can’t wait for the next chapter. As I prepare to put my pen down, you are opening your eyes. The sun is rising. A new day is dawning.
Love,
Grand-Dude
December 1998
“To be opened only if…” The letter I wrote Joan before my last ballooning adventure—in case I didn’t make it back
December 1998
“P.S. love you both very much.” My letter to Sam and Holly before my balloon flight
March 2000
On the steps of Buckingham Palace with Sam, Joan and Holly after being knighted
March 2000
Celebrating my knighthood with Mum and Dad after the ceremony at Buckingham Palace
Circa 2000
The first Virgin Mobile phone—the technology that changed my life
Circa 2001
Keeping up with Kate Moss, the ultimate work-hard–play-hard model
September 2001
Will Whitehorn and me on a bench in Holland Park, sad and sleepy-eyed after 9/11, sitting for a National Gallery exhibition, “Managing Partners”
October 2001
Naked ambition! Announcing Virgin Mobile’s arrival in the US
November 2001
Tilting with the Virgin Trains team after unveiling our Pendolino
November 2001
Mission Impossible accomplished as Virgin Trains gets on track
2002
I’m officially a banker! Launching Virgin Money’s first credit cards
December 2003
With the world’s first privately built craft to go to space—SpaceShipOne
June 2004
Breaking a world record crossing the Channel in the world’s first amphibious car
November 2004
A very angry letter from the future President Trump
February 2005
With Steve Fossett launching the world’s first all carbon-composite airplane to fly around the world nonstop
2005
Kasbah Tamadot, our magical retreat in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains
February 2005
The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, a world record–breaking flight that changed aviation forever
Circa 2005
With Dad at Virgin Trains—he and Mum always supported me unconditionally
Circa 2006
Planting a kiss on Arch on Necker Island, where we taught him to swim
Circa 2007
Discussing the Elders with two of South Africa’s and the world’s great moral leaders, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu
Circa 2006
Shaking hands on the creation of the Elders with Nelson Mandela
2007
A great honor introducing my family to Nelson Mandela
2006
Virgin Mobile comes to France
October 2006
Meeting the first group of students at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa
February 2007
Launching the Virgin Earth Challenge in London with Al Gore
August 2007
Liftoff! Finally launching Virgin America’s first flight, soaring over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
March 2008
Mum and Dad very much in love and sharing a laugh on Dad’s 90th birthday
July 2008
Mum and the mothership named after her, VMS Eve, at Virgin Galactic’s base in the Mojave Desert
September 2008
Fighting back against the proposed monopoly between British Airways and American Airlines
October 2008
Holly and I hanging out on the rigging, attempting to break the world record for the fastest sailboat crossing of the Atlantic
February 2009
Mooning the Alaska Airlines team after finally getting permission for Virgin America to fly
Circa 2009
Serving drinks on Virgin America’s pioneering planes
April 2010
Running the London Marathon dressed as a giant butterfly
October 2010
With genius engineer Burt Rutan, in front of SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo
November 2010
Dressed up in newspaper for the iPad magazine Project launch outside Apple in New York
December 2010
Wrangling a herd of Texas Longhorn steers on the tarmac with Virgin America
Circa 2010
Taking a break from the weights in Virgin Active UK
April 2011
My Other Ride’s a Spaceship—Virgin America flying in tandem with WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo
April 2011
My Other Ride’s a Spaceship
Circa 2011
Getting into the spirit with Virgin Active’s team at our flagship health club in Soweto
July 2011
Diving with whale sharks off the coast of Mexico to promote ocean conservation—I swam right into one of their mouths.
July 2011
Gearing up for the Virgin Active London Triathlon with Nell McAndrew and Melanie C
Handwritten personal letters are so important. They show humanity and character.
August 2011
Terrifying moment watching the Necker fire burn the Great House down
August 2011
The original Necker Island blueprints, rescued from the Great House fire
August 2011
Kate Winslet recreating her rescue of Mum from the Great House fire, the morning after on Necker Island
2011
Rebranding Virgin Australia with John Borghetti and the team
October 2011
The out-of-this-world view from Spaceport America in New Mexico
December 2011
Toasting Holly and Freddie’s wedding on Necker, exactly twenty-two years after I married Joan
February 2012
Jumping into freezing water on a climate-change fact-finding mission in Antarctica
February 2012
With Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears at the Pre-GRAMMY Gala in LA
September 2012
Preparing to climb Mont Blanc with my kids and friends
October 2012
Hugs with the Virgin Trains team after we won back the West Coast Main Line franchise
November 2012
Introducing tennis great Novak Djokovic to Necker’s thriving ring-tailed lemurs
November 2012
It’s only rock ‘n’ roll but I like it! With the Rolling Stones in London. Left to right: pro
moter Paul Dainty, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, me, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood
November 2012
Swimming (and posing!) with tiger sharks and lemon sharks in the Bahamas
December 2012
Proud of Sam’s film documenting the global war on drugs
February 2013
Talking business with Jayne-Anne Gadhia at Virgin Money in Newcastle