A letter to my younger self

Life has been very difficult, but you will prevail

Dear Ariane,

You’re 11 right now. Your dad is physically violent and emotionally abusive; your mum is intensely critical, dislikes you, is disappointed in you, and your little sister is her clear favourite; your little sister and you hate each other and fight all the time.

At school, you’re severely bullied by the other girls: held down in the swimming p…