Life is fragile. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring- the only certainty we have in life is that tomorrow is not guaranteed. All too often recently I’ve been reminded of just how much of a delicate balance life sits; family’s torn apart by a freak accident; people going to bed in the beautiful mundane and waking up the next morning to find their whole life has been ripped apart by a catastrophic, sudden illness; teenagers and children who never returned from a concert because someone decided that their *opinion was worth more than the fruition of their lives (*I will not dignify it with the word belief, belief makes it sound grounded in something worthwhile and holy, it’s your opinion dickhead and you’re fucking wrong!) 

So given that tomorrow is not given I want my children to know the following… 

I love you. I love you with all my heart. I love you when I’m grumpy and tired. I love you when you’re grumpy and tired. I love you when I’m angry or shouting. I love you when we’re in a rush or when I’m stressed. I love your very bones and your beautiful, beautiful souls. I love your inquisition and your creativity. You make me smile and laugh and proud everyday- I love you. 

I’m sorry. I’m sorry for feeling like we’re always in a rush and sometimes not listening when you tell me about things that are important to you but not me. I’m sorry for shouting or getting grumpy. I’m sorry that I sometimes say no to playing or spending time with you because there are other things to- sometimes everyday life gets in the way of what’s important- I will try to get the balance better.

In world full of hatred and intolerance, be kind. Be the one that asks others to join in. Make people laugh, not cry. Never stop believing the best in people. In a world hell bent on emphasising the differences between people- recognise what makes us similar. We are all people. We all have hearts that beat and bones that break. We are all sons and daughters. We all experience heartbreak when terrible things happen. Unite don’t divide.

Be yourself. People will try to change you, bend you to fit the mould. We are guilty of this- if only you’d be more compliant, if only you’d stop being quite so ‘full on’! Don’t listen to us! Be your glorious selves- strong willed children like you will grow up to change the world. 

You can be whatever the hell you want to be! Don’t listen to anyone who tells you you can’t- they are just scared. Take the risks, push yourself, believe in your dreams; they were given to you for a reason! As nelson Mandela so eloquently put it, ‘a winner is just a dreamer who never gave up.’ 

Eat the cake. Jump in puddles. Roll down grassy banks. Be happy. Be healthy. Be kind. 

And to those poor souls whose lives crumbled into dust last night, I’m so very sorry for your loss. A true, mindless, senseless waste. Just know that we stand together in your love and your loss. 

#manchester