What is something you wish you had either known or been able to do since birth? How do you think your life would be different now if you had this knowledge or ability from the get-go?

I wish I'd always known that certain concepts - beauty, success, happiness, strength - are entirely subjective and therefore other people's definitions of them are meaningless. This is something I've realised fairly recently and after seventeen years of believing otherwise it's hard to break the habit. I know that I don't need to burn myself to a frazzle or smother my pale skin in fake tan in order to be beautiful. I know that I don't need a high powered city job to be successful. I know that happiness comes from following your heart. But sometimes its hard to fight the almost instinctive reaction to lie. To tell enquiring relatives that I want to be something more "impressive" than a mother. To create ambitions that I don't have. To wobble along in high heeled shoes because they make you look taller, and slim out your legs, and what chance do you have of being "beautiful" otherwise?

I do fight these reactions and I'm learning, day by day. But I get the feeling it'll take a lot of practice, and since I've always been impatient I can't help but wish I started practising a long time ago.

< - >

* the marks of memories forgotten
* wasting emotions, over again
* intentions, and such
* nothing unusual, nothing's changed - just a little older, that's all (damien rice : amie)
* now I understand! It doesn't make sense because it isn't supposed to