The One Thing I Wish My 20 Year Old Self Had Known

Photo by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash

That question: what would be your best advice for your 20 year old self?

My answer is very short.

But, first, some background.

London

I lived in London in my twenties. Always South of the River. Putney. Richmond. Southfields. A stone’s throw from Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis Club where, once, I was a ball girl for the qualifying rounds. Paul Annacone, later coach to players like Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, was a qualifier.

Starstruck since my teens, I had a knack for spotting actors around town. Once I mistook Simon Cadell for a client. (I sold fax machines). My patch was W1 where, one early morning, I was canvassing on Wardour Street. He was walking towards me. I’m sure he could see the cogs whirring in my brain as I tried to place him. At the last minute I realised who he was and walked swiftly by. I’m sure I heard him breathe a sigh of relief!

Paris

Before London, I spent a year in Paris, studying at the Sorbonne.

I lived in an apartment on Rue de Condé. In exchange for my board and lodging, I looked after the three children after my classes. Their mother was a journalist for Madame Figaro. My dissertation about Coca-Cola’s 100th anniversary provided the…