My mother is the most fantastic woman I know. Perhaps I'm biased but I firmly believe that to be so.

In all my life she has been there for me no matter what. We talk about everything - and I mean everything - and I wonder how I would have turned out if we hadn't been so close for all this time.

But, this is beside the point. My Mum has given me lots of advice over the years and I'm sure that some of has been filed under "S" for "Subconscious" and will pop up unexpectedly from time-to-time in the years to come.

the piece of advice that immediately sprang to mind for me was handed from my Grandma (another wonderful lady) to my Mum who handed it down to me. It was after a boyfriend had dumped me for my step-sister - and at twelve, that was a big deal! I locked myself in my bedroom and cried myself silly on my bed with my biggest, snuggliest teddy bear.

My mum came in and gave me a cuddle and told me that this would be the last time I'd cry over a boy. Anyone who wanted to hurt me was not worth it and certainely not worth wasting my tears on.

It was good advice and every word of it true.

Cirpae du Fée.