Читать книгу Little Ann's Field of Buttercups - Ann Jacques - Страница 5

When I look back at my life, there are joys, tears and failures. I see what I should and shouldn’t have done; especially believing that people I loved and trusted would guide me without desiring anything in return. I trusted many who simply let me down. After countless wrong decisions, I now know how easily mistakes are made. And these mistakes can take years to repair. I was simply never ready for my life ahead.

As a teenager, I never realised how essential it was to stay at school and do well. I wish I’d understood how significant school was in shaping my life. Education provides the chance of getting a decent job with good pay. I wish I’d understood that with a good job I could have met people along the way with similar goals—people who could think for themselves, who had ambitions and a desire to get ahead in life. I missed out on this—the life of an independent working woman. Instead, I settled down in a committed relationship with the responsibility of children and a home—in a crummy flat with no amenities, high rent and a rotten property owner who didn’t give a dam, as long as he got his rent money. Once I took this life pathway, I was stuck there. My hopes, dreams and goals started to disappear as quickly as the reality of my life showed its ugly face.

I wish I’d have known then what I know now, especially when it came to choosing my life partner. If I was able to go back in time and give my young self some advice, I would tell her:

Like and respect the person you choose to share your life with. Having the same goals and incentives helps you to motivate each other. Having the same interests is a bonus. Find someone who is always willing to discuss situations as they arise, and compromise so that joint decisions can be made. And remember to plan your moves. Look at all of your options, think logically and remain positive and you are less likely to go wrong. But also remember that there will always be unexpected mishaps in life. These will often happen through no fault of your own. This is simply life, and what a roller coaster it is! Everyone has to deal with certain traumas at one time or another and everyone has their own story to tell.

This is my story—the story of Kathleen Ann Hughes…