Dear Síomha

You’re just starting out in college, venturing into a whole new world of freedom and I promise you’re going to have some of the best but also some of the worst years of your life.  They will make you the person that you are. 

In a few years, while finishing up an internship in the law firm you’ll later qualify with, you’re going to make a hell of an exit by having a seizure which will turn out to be epilepsy.  It’s only now, looking back, that I realise how strong you will be but you get through it, though it means that getting through college and qualification will take a little longer than you’d hoped.  I don’t know if it was determination or just stubbornness (maybe a bit of both?) but you never gave up, even after failing more exams than you passed.

You’re going to fight with your doctors for brain surgery and it’ll give you the confidence to continue.  You’ll work and work and soon enough you’ll be training in your dream firm wondering how you did it.  There will be good days and tough days and you’ll have to learn how to face your anxieties to get through them but then, all of a sudden, you’ll be a qualified Solicitor! 

People will tell you how well you’ve done and you won’t believe them, finding reasons why they’re wrong. They’re not though, your strength and hard work got you here. Your kindness and friendliness also played a part too. You haven’t always been the kindest to yourself (and you’re still working on that one I’m afraid) but you do your best to be the best person you can to everyone else and that has played an important part in the support you have received when you needed it. Never stop being that person.

I’m so proud of you Síomha. You never let anything hold you back from your dream.