433

 She found herself at the imposing junction of George Street and Hanover Street as all around her people hurried home from work or out to meet friends or lovers, all with a sense of purpose and direction. And here she was, twenty two and clueless and sloping back to a digy flat defeated once again . What are you going to do with your life?' In one way or another it seemed that people had been asking her this forever; teachers, her parents, friends at three in the morning, but the question had never seemed this pressing and still she was no nearer an answer. The future rose up ahead of her, a succession of empty days, each more daunting and unknowable than the one before her. How would she ever fill them all? She began walking again, south towards the Mound. Live each day as if it is your last, that was the conventional advice, but really who had the energy for that? What if it rained or you felt a bit gandy? It just wasn't practical. Better by far to simply try and be good and courageous and bold and to make a differ ence. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you. Go out there with your passion and your electric typewriter and work hard at something. Change lives through art maybe Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved if  you ever get the chance