Tagged by Andre.
Dear 13 year old Kath,
It seems strange writing to you because in many ways you are here - right now. You are my past, my present, and my future. There have been many separate little lives along the way but it always comes right back to you. You made some very important decisions at the age of 13. You took life very seriously (too seriously, perhaps) and formed the basis of who you are today. On the whole, I am proud of you but I do find it necessary to issue a friendly warning:- Don't try to take me over and stop insisting that I turn things over and over in my mind!! I am not putting up with this. Responsibility is one thing; worry is another. You have to admit that I have to put you in check every now and again. I have to make the most of life and make use of the lessons learned from our experiences - you know what these are. Remember: "His way was right, his will was strong, but he is just as dead as if he were wrong".
I am sure you will be pleased to know that your solid views on such issues such as equality, religion, the death penalty etc., are still very much a part of who we are today - and forever.
You never thought about meeting yourself at this point in the future but you did have some vague idea about working with computers when you grew up. Hee hee - you'd never seen one!! Well, you have now! They are all over the place. You have dabbled here and there and picked up some T-shirts.
School wasn't the best place in the world but it was bearable. I know you enjoyed the lessons and the team sports. Getting along with those class mates wasn't easy, was it? You always imagined that the parents of those silly giggly little girls must have made a huge contribution to the school funds in order to get their children in that form - I think you were right. Being in the school sports meant that you could mix with the girls from the other forms - Thank goodness for that! You knew that you did not belong with the stuck up little brats in your own class and that they didn't accept you. ( Hoy! - we have now learned how to cope with pretentious people - so behave yourself!)
Your achievements:
You walked through the banned corridor, knocked on the Headmaster's door, and said, "Excuse me but could you tell me why the girls in this school are not allowed to take physics. I want to study physics. Within a very short time you were in the class. What a result! Bloody well done!
You challenged the views of the worst teacher in the world ( Religious Knowledge teacher ) and discovered that he was one of the best. What a horrorbag; what a bastard! He frightened the hell out of everyone, but the day he asked everyone to write an essay, including their own views and arguments, you went for it. You brave, brave, foolish girl. Of course, when he picked out the essay and read it out, almost everyone was scared to death and hated you, but wasn't it funny when he barred the rest of the class and decided that he was only going to teach three of us - wasn't it grand. :-) I never really understood him or his motives but he completely changed. The four of us spent the next 12 months eating chocolates in class and talking. He gave you a lot of support and never again forced his views on anyone. He didn't make you stay any longer than necessary and you all took this exam early.
You got an excellent school report at the end of the year - only 3 points behind the brainiest boy. Of course, it was all very easy for him, whilst you had to work damn hard - the story of your life, I am afraid.
It is sad that your family broke up in the following year and life became very difficult but you got through it. Sometimes, I think that you were a stronger person than I am now, but I have got to listen to the voice of experience.
You have mellowed a little and you try not to judge people. You keep an open mind on most issues.
I lost my way in my twenties and we had a bit of a tussle. I was tempted by the material aspects of life and the keeping up with the Jones's idea. We struggled with this. You won, of course.
Tagged - Dogga
11 comments:
:) This is great Kat.
I had to do this sometime in the last year for therapy. It was cathartic. Your letter was much more interesting than mine though.
Excellent Kat!
I read Andre's last night too... I love the concpet of this and I'm glad (in some ways) that school was a big influential issue on others too - I have issues left from school and I'm glad it's not just me. :}
Good work Kat, it's a nice idea isn't it. There is so much that forms us around the age of 13. The Physics story is great!
PS You better tag Dogga, he's dying to do it!!
Okay, Andre. Dogga your're tagged.
Yeah - I love the physics story too, but also the RE one - how fascinating!
Kat - I enjoyed reading your words, and have a sense of a strong and reflective inner self that has journeyed with you through life.
Cheers for the tagsy! I've done it :}
Wow Kat, what an incredibly honest lovely letter. You were not afraid to voice your opinions as a youth. Something I would not have done.
You are an incredible woman.
Glad I know you
That's awfully affectionate. If I had to write to my 13 yr old self I'd tell myself (as I said elsewhere at your friend dogga's blog fair enough) to slish my bleedin' throat or hang myself!!!
gledwood - Be kind to yourself and be your own best friend.
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