We Were There When... Christine Duff read her "Letter To My Fourteen-Year-Old Self" on The Coffee at Eleven Show
Season One of The Coffee at Eleven Show has been recorded for posterity. We enjoyed coffee with eighty five People Worth Meeting between mid-March and mid July 2020 and to say it was special for those of us blessed to have been there would be an understatement to say the least.
I heard it said that the magic (and the hope) of live entertainment happens when all involved walk away shaking their heads in disbelief, dying to tell someone, "We were there when..." This cannot happen every time, even if the same people utter the same words time after time, as in a stage play that runs night after night, but it happens when a sprinkling of magic touches performers, crew and audience alike. And it happened several times on The Coffee at Eleven Show.
Every weekday during lockdown, a new person got comfortable in the hot seat and found themselves opening up to Yours Truly, in front of a LIVE, albeit muted audience and as they opened up, we - the team, the audience and I - allowed them go as deep as they wished to. What transpired at times was hilariously funny, utterly beautiful or terribly tragic, but always, completely honest.
As we take a break for the summer, before considering a Season Two, we thought we'd go back to the recordings and pull out a few of those moments where we can honestly and proudly say, "We were there when...".
The plan is to share one "We were there when..."moment with you each week between now and September.
Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to stick on the kettle, grab a coffee, grant yourself ten minutes of l'Oreal' time (you're worth it) and allow us to present you a very special "We were there when..." moment; that moment when thirty three year old Christine Duff, independent parent to children aged ten and eleven, brought tears to our eyes with her stunning, "A Letter To My Fourteen-Year-Old Self." in your preferred way...
- Watch the video (highly recommended
- Listen to the podcast
- or, read Christine's moving letter below
A Letter To My Fourteen-Year-Old Self
Dear Christine, congratulations you did it !!!! You found your place, you found where you were meant to be and doing what you were born to do. As a child, you dreamed of being on stage, ever since your performance as little Red Riding Hood you dreamed big dreams!!! Congratulations! your powerful inner strength and determination has guided you exactly where you were meant to be, this stage is much more meaningful than any of your drama performances though this stage is on display everyday, you are performing a show others only witness because this my beauty is your life.
It has not been easy, it has not been the fairy tale you had imagined, the dress rehearsals were extremely hard, they hurt so much at times...... but guess what? you still found a way!!! you always looked for an alternative script when the one you were given went sour. When the Knights in shining armour turned out to be tin foil covered bears you still manage to love them, you gave every piece of your heart to all the bears and the beasts and even when their supply from you ran dry, you still shined like a diamond.
Little did you know how well prepared you were for the next script. During this beautiful, dramatic, explosive and, at times, improvised performance you were blessed with two gorgeous precious jewels. They are your children and they bring more magic and memories and moments than you can ever imagine. Everyday with them is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! At times, life can feel like Dory in the big open sea, but like Dory you just keep swimming and like the genie said in Aladdin “Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s memories.”
Another encounter with a masked and heavily wounded Wolf set you up for your big break. When the hungry Wolf was still hungry and needed to feed, you set him free. You danced on a dark black stage that slowly became extremely bright, it lit up one twinkle at a time while you embraced this new script, yet again showing your resilience your strength your determination your love and your level of self compassion. You have no idea of the beauty the radiance the glow and the light that you give.
One final blast from an unexpected silent villain that was hiding in the wings a lot longer than you knew knocked you to the ground. This was an invisible black energy that tried to physically suck you dry of your sparkle but even when you physically couldn’t fight this dark invisible force you did something more magical - you made friends with it, you allowed it to sit within you and within a short few weeks your light quickly dimmed that shadow.
You see Christine you are a rare precious jewel; you have your own unique colour, your own unique light. One of the most powerful things to remember is "No." is a full sentence. No, thank you. adds some kindness though. I want you to maintain your sparkle, build your protection skills and know that you are beautiful just as you are and you are going exactly where you’re supposed to go.
So, in all the scripts you have been handed you have gained extensive experience, you have battled your own invisible dark enemy long before Corona. Stepping forward, you are embracing a very fulfilling determined powerful performance. No lights are required because your stage is already lit. Remember your purpose, you are not here to feed any Wolves, you are teaching the Wolves to love themselves enough to want to feed together.
Christine Duff.
Connect with Christine here. https://www.facebook.com/kristeen.duff.5
Watch her full interview here: https://youtu.be/zbbDDgxukVE
Come back next week for another installment of "We were there when..." from a guest who had Coffee with Colm on The Coffee at Eleven Show, brought to you by WIG-WAM - SME Peer Support