TWO THOUSAND AND NINE

Credit to Tom Price.

Dearest 2009,
As Dickens wrote, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

You've been turbulent, but joyous. You've been love-filled, but heart-wrenching. You've been beautiful, but imperfect.

You began where I end, in a nice 4 bedroom house in North Dorset, filled with objects and possessions that remind us of times gone by, yet they reside in a place relatively new to memories. They are slowly building though, and 2009 has added to these significantly.

There have been some births, and though all deaths are significant, I am thankful and grateful that you spared me heartache this year. There have been some especially noteable friendships that have developed, changed, been re-born and continue to astound and amaze. There have been new people within your period of time which have crept upon me and left me wondering what I did to deserve them. There have been holidays, hard graft, endless train journeys, failures, hope, despair, endless photos, tears, uncountable laughs and a new favourite thing; falling in love.

You, 2009 have been a good one. I remember saying good bye to 2008 in a somewhat drunken state, dressed as a clown, standing with friends and ready for a fresh start. In this readiness, I lifted a glass and said something along the lines of 'good riddance 2008'. You were supposed to be filled with a bullet point list of hopes and now I realise it... demands. Some have been fulfilled, some have cropped up time and time again and remain an ongoing struggle, but like 2008, you too have been a steep learning curve.

I am a small percentage but a percentage nonetheless wiser, and consider the journey that little bit lighter given the events of the last year. Specific details aren't needed, you and I know both the pitfalls and blessings you have bestowed upon me, but let's just say that I hope by the end of this new friend of mine 2010, I have the same bursting heart of hope, faith and above all love that is beating in my chest right now.

It remains trite when people say a new year a new start but there are so little opportunities to begin again in this life that I would like to embrace the ceremony of goodbye to you 2009, and say bring on 2010.

In this year, resolutions will most likely be untouched or discarded within the first week so I shan't make them. Instead I will continue to seek the kingdom, and all the rest I am guaranteed will follow.

Yours in accepting old beginnings and looking forward to the new,
Emmah xo

Personification: Autumn.

Dear Autumn,
Hi, I think that we've met before, but never really been fully acquainted. I mean I've enjoyed your past endeavors, and I've definitely noticed you before but only recently have I really been able to call myself a fan. Your previous work has passed me by slightly, so the new collection of colours you've brought to the table have really surpassed earlier times, because I'm definitely loving it.
Orange is a difficult colour to make work, but you've definitely done wonders with it, and fancy bringing in the yellows and slight greens! I never thought that would work, but congratulations, you've achieved colour success.
I often wonder if it's more difficult for you to follow the success of my good friend Summer, but I suppose it's probably easier for you as you just tend to strip the trees to their bare essentials and let them get on with it. Wise choice.
Anyway, hope that this letter of encouragement finds you well and I look forward to experiencing a bit more of you come October.
Yours in fallen leaves,
Emmah xo

Personification: Wisdom Teeth.

image from www.nataliedee.com

Dear Wisdom Teeth,

You're probably wondering why I've singled you out amid the other 24ish teeth in my mouth, but that's because you in particular are making my life hell at the moment. Okay, so yeah, your friends Molar and Incisor and I have had our problems in the past, there was also that isolated incident in 2005 when one of them literally crumbled in my mouth like a biscuit that had been left in a cup of tea for too long, but this time... I'm talking just to you.

First of all, lets begin with your name. Who are you to just presume that your presence grants wisdom? You nutjobs. You so far have brought nothing but pain and misery as you've poked and prodded and bled your way into my mouth, and I'm seriously considering taking up some kind of lawsuit for false advertising. There is not an ounce of extra wisdom to be seen!

Now we've tackled that, lets move on to your purpose. Now you may think who am I to question your uses, but I simply must protest against your existence when you appear to do literally nothing. I gag when I brush you because you're simply too far back in my mouth, so how food reaches you for you to do your so called 'job' of chewing, I'll never know. Be sure to let me know if you actually get any of the goods during meal times, and then I might reconsidering labelling you USELESS.

I'm sure you can sense my want to bring some serious pugilistic rage upon you not just for your pointless existence but also many other reasons. You seem to bring me nothing but misery, and this misery is only to continue when I eventually give in to this constant pain and nausea and visit a dentist, one of my least favourite things to do in life. Ever.

So, the point of this letter was to simply make it clear if you haven't gathered already that I hate you. I will always hate you. I've hated you from the moment you first appeared through my gums, bleeding your way into the world like a tiny little annoying volcano erupting in my mouth. And I will continue to hate you, whether you lead a full and pointless life in the depths of my jaw, or whether your ultimate demise occurs with a minor operation, extracting you from this place.

So, to sum up; you bring nothing to the table.

Yours in pain, bleeding gums, headaches, ear ache and severe bad moods,
Emmah xo

Personification: Emotions.

Dear Emotions,
I'm not entirely sure where you are located on or in the body, but where ever you are, I trust that this letter will reach you regardless. Just a small one really, mainly to inquire as to your erratic behaviour of late. Seriously, please could you just stick to one theme and run with that? Because I'm left feeling overwhelmed when you are going up and down like some kind of emotional Richter scale. If I had to favour any emotions, then I'd probably run with happiness, and less of the confused and inability-to-make-concrete-decisions ones you've been churning out sporadically over the last year. I don't really know if I can entirely blame you, I fear someone else might be in on this little game. Yeah, that's right brain, I'm talking about you. You're a sneaky bastard, so you're probably reading this over Emotions shoulder (if you have shoulders... I'm not sure you do). Either way, pull together. Sort something out. Maybe have a word with Motivation and just work together in some kind of stupendous trinity of perfection and work on this issue together.
That'd be bloody brilliant.
Yours in love, sadness, confusion, denial and oddness,
Emmah. xo

Personification: Sunshine.

Dear Sunshine,
Hello. It's Emmah. Okay, so you don't know me. I just wanted to let you know that you suck today. The fact that you were a no show really made my day slow and horrid, especially as I had to look out of the window at your arch enemy Rain slide down the window, taunting me more and more with each drop. I understand that it must be very difficult for you to remain a glowing ball of light in the sky all the time, and that sometimes you must get a bit bored of people constantly abusing you for energy, suntans and to melt stuff and that, but really... I needed you today. And you let me down.
Consider this your first warning, the next time you desert me like this, I'm going to be having stronger words with you about your defiant behaviour. I simply won't put up with being constantly let down by you and your rays.
Thank you for your time.
Emmah in rainy Dorset. xo

Personification: Hair.

Dear fringe,
Welcome back to my forehead. I really hope you enjoy your time here, and appreciate that you are now straight across. I also put some colour on you as an initiation for your first day as my new fringe. I hope you appreciate this. I would love it if you didn't make the skin on my forehead as oily as you did last time you spent time with me, but then again, I realise this is a lot to ask. Sorry that you might get abused with hair straighteners and products, please bear in mind that I do this in an affectionate manner, and don't wish for you to hold it against me and go all frizzy and rubbish.
I promise to love you, if you do the same for me.
Thank you.
Your loving owner,
Emmah. xo






p.s: i love my cat