Dear friend,
You know your job title. But who are you?
You are a worthy addition to my circle of godparents, odd-parents and not-parents. You are absolutely convinced that I can do anything I want to. Even when I’m not. Even when I’m trying very hard to persuade you otherwise.
You encourage me. When I’ve been told ‘no’ – when I’ve told myself ‘no’ – too many times, you’re the person who says ‘yes’. You’re the one who gets me to sit down and try again, because I never know. You do. You know, and you’re just waiting for me at the other end, for me to make my way through the uncertainty and the self-doubt. You fight my corner.
You’re a good fifteen years older than me, maybe twenty. You’re confident about your place in this world, and mine. I don’t think you have children. Either way, I’m one of your honorary children. And you understand my ambivalence about having children myself; you know that, whatever else I might do with my life, getting this damn thing out into the world is incredibly important.
You know what you’re talking about. You’ve been in this game for a long time, and the reason for your having been there this long is that you love it. I can ask you any stupid question I need to and you won’t laugh at me.
I am looking forward to meeting you.
Much love,
Kathleen