Verbeken: ‘The speed at which everything is changing tends to create a sense of alienation and loneliness. I think ageing is often accompanied by feelings of isolation. Learning to age without bitterness is a key challenge in life.’ Acosta: ‘I walked all by myself from Ostend to De Panne during the festive season. In those rare and beautiful moments of solitude, I came to the sobering realisation that I don’t really matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. How delightful it feels, being able to put yourself in perspective like that.’