Dear Me...

Today at work I was reading through the latest Marie Claire, which had been delivered to the office. Upside of doing some PR work - free mags. Biggest time-waster ever - I can sit there for hours not doing any proper work and justify it because it's "industry research".

Anyway, that's beside the point. The point is, I came across an article taken from a book entitled 'Dear Me'. Its a series of letters various British celebrities have written to their 16 year old selves. The Elton John AIDS Foundation receives £1 from every copy sold.

There were two letters in particular which caught my eye, one by a woman whom I have admired and respected since I was in my late teens, the other whom I've never really had that much admiration or respect for, until today.

The first letter is from the brilliant Emma Thompson:




Great photo by the way. She looks fab, even if there has been some photoshopping. In case you can't read the text, it is:



Dear Em (16)

I realise that you are young and in love and that nothing much anyone old says seems relevant, but seeing as it’s me – that is you, that is us – I think it’s worth a go. Two top tips from 50 to 16:

1. Don't EVER EVER EVER bother to go on a diet. I know you're obsessed and have that awful thing of standing in the sixth form canteen trying to choose between a yoghurt and a breath of fresh air (while wanting chips and a cheese salad). Don't sweat it. Eat regularly, try to avoid rubbish and never diet. You'll end up the same size anyway, so drop it girl, and drop it NOW. Believe me - nobody cares. Diets are the best way of confusing your metabolism for the rest of your life. Just be you and get on with it. I cannot tell you how much time and energy you'll save and how much happier you'll be.
   
   
   
2. When he says he doesn't love you, believe him. He doesn't.

That's it. All the other mistakes you make are worth their weight in gold.

I love you.
Em (50)

How good is that letter? If only I'd been able to write that to myself at that age. Number 2 is still such a good tip to remember. And really, everything else happens for a reason, like she says.

She's one top bird that Emma.



Anyway, the next letter was short and to the point and made me collapse in laughter. I'd never thought of her as being particularly funny but obviously she knows her flaws and isn't afraid to admit them.

It came from Patsy Kensit*:




Dear 16 year old Patsy,

You adore music more than anything in the world, you have a great passion for rock and roll… but that doesn’t mean you have to marry the lead singer of every band you ever had a poster of, on your bedroom wall.

Love, your older you!

Patsy x




What a cracker. Snaps to you Patsy and thanks for giving me a giggle.


So... what would you write to your 16 year old self? I'm going to have a think about it and perhaps write it in my next post. Stay tuned. It could be interesting.







* Patsy, god love her, has been married to Dan Donovan, Jim Kerr, Liam Gallagher and Jeremy Healy. She also dated Gary Kemp when she was 15 (and he was 24). That's one very eclectic mix of musos...