Talking to my 23yr old self

I have a self portrait that I drew when I was 23 that I am using a lot at the moment in my journalling. It was not quite accurate at the time – my eyes are too close together and a they stare rather alarmingly .

I am vain enough not to want to use my 53yr old one – and there is something about that image that I like.

My daughter is 23yrs at the moment – the parallels between our lives are different and similar – we are/ were both setting out after university in our first jobs – I can remember being 23yrs old quite clearly , it seems strange thinking that this is where she is at.

There are more parallels with my life then and now

Then – I had just moved up to Newcastle upon Tyne – which is a northern city with lots of beaches near by.

Now I am North in Scotland , in Edinburgh a city which has lots of beaches near by

I had to get used to new people, make new friends , get used to a new accent

Jon and I went to the Tyneside cinema and watched lots of films in French about french detectives

Jon and I are watching Spiral the TV series

I was doing lots of art

I hadn’t had babies, or got married , or been ill, but I felt strong and confident in my skills.

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