Lillie and her First Class Degree

Today, I am celebrating Lillie.  Lillie, who at age five was told not to come into the kitchen of our new home in Northern Ireland because we needed to let the new floor set, stood at the threshold, her two big toes just breaching its perimeter. Obeying us, but on her terms.

It’s funny because there have always seemed to be two Lillies in opposition to each other.  The first wants to please everyone around her.  The second wants to live completely unfettered by expectations, living her life her way.    

Learning to Say No

We spent years teaching her to say no without guilt, helping her understand that the only approval she should seek is her own.

Lillie has pierced so much of her body that she learned to do it herself to reduce the cost. On her 18^th birthday, she took me to get matching tattoos, and now she has an eclectic collection of them.

She tells me her body is the most important canvas she has to work with. I side-eye the enormous bee and dragonfly she chose for each knee (her knee?!), while also loving our matching tattoos and the tattoos she had done of both Gary’s and my handwriting, saying ‘I love you’.

Our lessons teaching her to say no seem to have worked remarkably well!

No Exams for Her!

I remember her coming out of her first GCSE English exam at age 13, stating with certainty that she would never take another exam, ever again, in her life.  And she hasn’t.

Lillie spent her teenage years exploring all things creative while working toward her Level 2 Art and Design and Level 3 Photography diplomas. No exams, just a lot of hard work. It is a fallacy that you need lots of GCSEs to get into uni. Lillie managed just fine with one.

In fact, she managed to get a place at University of the Arts London, a top world-class art university, to study illustration and visual communications to become an art therapist.

And that brings me to the second most noteworthy thing about Lillie.  Alongside her creativity is a deep desire to help those less fortunate than she is.   Whilst she spent her teen years creating, that came second to looking after her chronically ill twin.  Every day for over a decade, she chose to put Charlotte’s needs before her own.

The Future…

Lillie has far more depth than her scatty, carefree demeanour suggests.  Over the three years at UAL, she consistently worked three jobs, whilst volunteering at Church and being there for all three of her sisters.  The fact that she achieved a first in her degree is a testament to her incredible work ethic and her commitment to using art for the good of others.  I could not be prouder of her, not necessarily for her top grade but for her drive, her passion and her deep desire to help others.

Lillie is currently studying for her PGCE in art, before perhaps applying for a master’s in art therapy. Well done, Lil. We love you so much for everything you are and everything you will be.

Lillie’s Graduation

Lil’s graduation was preceded by two art exhibitions, which we attended as a family. Her actual graduation was held in London, and I managed to film some of it. However, the auditorium was filled with enthusiastic parents all trying to film their loved ones graduating, so I can’t say my filming was any good. I managed to film a little of Lillie receiving her degree certificate. Afterwards, we all got dressed up and had a murder mystery party, which I filmed a little bit of. Thomas and Alex, his wife, prefer not to be filmed, so apart from the toast, I have cut them out. I hope you enjoy seeing a little bit of Lillie’s art, her graduation and our family’s murder mystery.

Lillie’s Engagement

In pure Lillie fashion, a few weeks after her graduation, her boyfriend, Dylan, asked for her hand in marriage. They have set the wedding for next April.