'Things I Wish I’d Known When I was Your Age' by Lynda Mcmahon

You wouldn’t recognise me now even if you’d known me from when you were born. I’ve changed. A lot. Almost unrecognisable. You don’t think you’ll ever change but you will. It all seems so fixed to you now, I know. You think a decision made is for life. No going back. I’d really like to tell you that you’re so wrong about that. My lovely girl, life will be so different when you are my age. You won’t always be awkward in your own skin. If you want to you’ll have purple hair and wear Doc Martens with huge flowers on them and you’ll dance in the rain! OK, I’m making the last one up but you get my point? I know you’d shudder at the idea of being so visible but you don’t like invisible either do you? It’s not either/or, my darling. It’s finding out who or what you are and being it. But you’re learning all the time. What do you want to be? A writer? An artist? A candlestick maker? You can be all three or none or one today and another tomorrow. You choose. You don’t think you have a choice but you do. When your path shows you the way you’ll know it’s the right way to turn. How do I know? How will you know? You’ll feel it in your gut. Trust me. Trust yourself. Be bold. Be brave. I’ll be waiting for you when you get there.