Sincerely yours

This is you, well the 46-year-old you writing to the

15-year-old you.

I wanted to write you a letter to give you the heads up

on some of the wonderful and not so wonderful things

that life will throw your way. I know at 15 it's hard to

imagine what life will be like when you are 46 but I will

try to let you know.

I know at the moment, at the age of 15 life is what it is

and doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon, but just

because you left school at 14 and 9 months to start work

doesn't mean you will amount to nothing. It's quite the

contrary. You will actually be wonderful at your job

because you know how to work hard – this is a trait you

will carry with you through to adulthood despite the fact

that you change jobs even careers.

I know you're reading this thinking “no way” . . . I

love working at Woollies, I'll never leave it. Trust me,

you do and you never look back.

You will get a little weekend job at the corner shop

soon. You love this job as it's a reprieve from home.

Things don't get much better there I'm afraid, but don't

worry, you come out pretty tough from that experience.

It's hard to believe, but in about three years time,

when you’re 18 you will marry a young man whose

family love you and show you the love you've never

experienced from a family. From this marriage you have

two beautiful sons, but sadly the marriage won't last.

Don't let this knowledge put you off, it's just one of the

many “life experiences” you will have that make you

the person you are destined to become.

You will continue to work in retail but get the urge to

study – I know you are probably thinking no way, I can't

spell, I can't do maths and yes you hear that a lot, but

deep down that fires something up inside you and you

decide to give TAFE a shot around the age of 24. You

will be told you can't do it, but trust me, you can and you

will. You actually continue on at TAFE for another seven

years. Yes, you even do some accounting, believe it or

not, and even though you hate maths you do OK at it.

During your time at TAFE you become very

independent, and it's early in this phase that you set your

first real goal after your divorce, to buy your own home.

You will continue to work in retail but because you have

studied hard you become a trainer and manager which

you will totally love. One day you will get a fantastic

surprise, someone is going to call you from your past

and offer you the job of a lifetime, to become a teacher

at TAFE. I know, a teacher’s job – fancy that – not bad

for someone who only went to year 9. You buy your

little house which suits you and your sons perfectly. But

be prepared for a hiccup.

You end up re-marrying around the age of 26. I know

you might be thinking “no way” but trust me you feel

ready this time, you've grown up a lot and have become

very independent by then . . . your own house, full-time

work and even your own car, see how much you have to

look forward to. Anyway this is a good period of your

life, you are settled and end up having another baby – a

gorgeous baby girl called Georgia. Sadly though that

marriage fails and you will be a single mum again. This

doesn't stop you though as you plod on continuing on

with uni study. Can you believe it, uni, who would have

thought?

In 1999 you are hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing,

and this throws all your plans out the window. You

won't be able to do things as you once did and this puts

you in a very bad space mentally, but with a little help

from a mentor who becomes your lifelong friend you

pick yourself up and move on doing the best you can,

becoming stronger and more determined than ever.

Anyway life's great, you get out and about a bit and

meet another nice man,. He's younger than you but you

really click and guess what, he's the one. You will be

with him to this day, even though you have a little break

in the middle somewhere, you both seem to find each

other again in 2004. Life is really great, you start to

think it can't get any better, but be prepared – the

biggest life lesson is about to occur.

Brace yourself Michelle for in 2005 you will lose

both your boys in a car crash – they are 16 and 19 you

will be shattered – but don't panic you will survive this.

You might not think so at the time but I'm still breathing,

I'm still here in one piece able to write this letter to you.

Trust me this will rock you, you will need to muster

all the strength you can to get through this for your

daughter’s sake, she needs you. Your husband will be

very supportive and sticks out the journey.

The first three years are pretty tough. I'm not going

to lie, there will be times you will lose the will to live,

but you have a strength deep inside that will get you

through. You pick yourself up and guess what, you even

create two wonderful programs out of this tragedy. You

become a changed person but for the better. This is the

final major hurdle in your life. You may be thinking,

how can she know this? I know this because there will

be no greater, harder or sadder hurdle you will ever have

to face. You get through this one so you can get through

anything.

Michelle, embrace every unhappy, difficult and sad

event, these things make you. Your daughter will be

proud of you and your boys will always be with you. Be

the best you can be and always strive to do better.

I don't have to wish you good luck on your journey, I

know for a fact that you will make it.

I hope I have given you some insight into what you

might expect. Don't aim to change a thing, and

remember this: “When something bad happens you

have three choices, you can either let it define you, you

can let it destroy you or you can let it strengthen you.”