Caitlin Moran: “Now I’m Dead, Here’s My Letter Of Advice For You"

British journalist Caitlin Moran wrote this letter to her eldest daughter Lizzie in 2013, explaining at the time:
“My daughter is about to turn 13 and I’ve been smoking a lot recently, and so - in the wee small hours, when my lungs feel like there’s a small mouse inside them, scratching to get out - I’ve thought about writing her one of those “Now I’m Dead, Here’s My Letter Of Advice For You To Consult As You Continue Your Now Motherless Life” letters. Here’s the first draft. Might tweak it a bit later. When I’ve had another fag.”
Here's Caitlin herself to read it - originally performed at the Freemason's Hall, London.

[@Florkl]

“You always look beautiful in them. You always look beautiful.” It’s a tragedy not everyone gets to hear those words.

[@Liliarthan]

Absolutely

[@chrsd2536]

Can you imagine how much you'd miss a mom who was like this? 😥

[@joisagirlsname]

Yes. My dad was like this, and I still miss him every day.

[@ericthompson3982]

Right?

[@ericthompson3982]

@@WhiskeyGulf71 You... lead a bit of a sad life, don't you? Please find some good friends that you can speak with.

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

@@WhiskeyGulf71 she sounds like a wonderful person, she was giving advice to her 13yo daughter! George Bernard Shaw said “you don’t stop playing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop playing”. She didn’t want her daughter to loose that joy of life as she grew up plus she had very sound advice that is relatable on this side of the pond.

[@MSYNGWIE12]

My therapist would love to show this to my late mother, who missed the boat, sadly...She was so cut off from her own emotional turmoil, she might not get this. Pure heartfelt, sense, warm and wise...

[@ER-uy7ct]

So, I'm sitting in my family room crying. My mom has stage 3, moving to stage 4 lung cancer. And she has not lost her sense of humor like this mother. Thinking about my life without her and her humor and wit has been so hard. This letter reminds me to think of the great stories have with her as the center of them all. Family trips, walking down the Champs-Élysées getting so thirsty and buy 2 large glasses of diet coke for 20 francs (this was 2002). I have to remember the fun we had.

[@Saezimmerman]

"You probably aren't having a nervous breakdown. You just need a cup of tea and a biscuit."

[@Doooooooooooood]

That should be plastered all over every home page, every profile, every post on every social media platform!

[@judycroteau482]

And “buy a big biscuit tin”. 😂

[@LM-he7eb]

She sounds like such an awesome mom. I know the letter was not meant for me. But, I took it, I took it, I took the advice. It is filled with fun, wisdom, care, awareness & LOVE.

[@Liliarthan]

Same. Feels like a type of vicarious experience of motherly love

[@jk013x]

Wisdom and love are meant for everyone. I'm sure the woman who wrote that would be overjoyed to know how many people she was able to touch with her words.

[@StefanTravis]

"Never love someone who you think you need to mend." Yep. It's 25 years too late for me, but it's good advice anyway.

[@elainepayne7047]

And for me? 60 years too late!!!!

[@Px828]

@@elainepayne7047 40 for me.

[@HimonoOnna90]

As long as you are alive and you got the message, it's not too late. You're still here and you're still able to make the best of that advice.

[@gentianvandewerken929]

Hope you got out /I did after 30 years, best thing I ever did!

[@katyjudd1061]

@@Px828 Same.

[@yehuditcollins6783]

I'm nearly 87. When things go wrong, and they do, i ask myself, "If this was happening to someone else, would I laugh?" So i end up laughing not crying.

[@gretebremseth1622]

Very good advice! Wish you a happy birthday! Long distance hug from Norway! ❤ 💙

[@jwvandegronden]

That teared me up, the end was the final blow…. What a great mother!! And how important to have supportive parents, this way or anyway as long as it comes from the heart. Like this. I just fell into this well of letters, never heard of it until today and I’m hooked. Straightaway!! Thank you to the people who came up with this brilliant idea!!

[@ellejuniperfilms]

Agreed ! It's an amazing rabbit hole to get down into. Hilarious and moving.

[@beckyg2604]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who recently discovered Letters Live! The hilarious ones are great fun, but the occasional touching letter is great, too. This one managed to hit both notes.

[@SarahJLBriggs]

Me too! They started popping up and they're ace.

[@LM-he7eb]

OMG. Thank God I'm not the only one. I thought I was weird. I teared up too

[@johnhilton4348]

You've written my feelings perfectly. (I'm still mopping my face.)

[@k.m.2625]

Wish my mom had given me advice like that. Bless you, Caitlin Moran. Your daughter is going to have a brilliant life.

[@ToriLand78]

I'm so sorry this woman has passed away. She seems like someone who I would have loved to have known and called a friend. What a wonderful combination of laughter through tears. A brilliant final letter from a brilliant woman.

[@binghobson7122]

She hasn’t! The woman reading it wrote it!

[@ToriLand78]

Yes, I realized that a little too late.

[@cxzact9204]

Your comment just reduced me to tears, god damnit.

[@penelopeboythorn]

A prime dinner party guest

[@doberman1ism]

I am 70 years young and I greatly appreciate mums letter. I wish I could have known her. I know we would have gotten along famously. I know she is resting in peace. What a wonderful free spirit!

[@AenesidemusOZ]

The letter's author was the woman reading it. This is one time where an amazing piece of pathos is actually worthy of joy rather than sadness.

[@sweetpotatofries99]

​@AenesidemusOZ the letter's author was the woman reading it? What?

[@AenesidemusOZ]

@sweetpotatofries99 Caitlin Moran, the woman reading the letter, wrote the letter to her daughter, Lizzie, in 2013.

[@aeneas-sails]

The whole series is pretty excellent, but this one in particular shines brightly.

[@RHLW]

"Never start smoking"... Can confirm.

[@jeremiahgabriel5709]

This is a useful, delightful, irreverent in the best way, letter. Also, a human body described as "meat clockwork" is awesome.

[@andrewc.2952]

Wow. Just wow. I'm honestly very deeply touched by this life changing letter. God bless her memory.

[@al201103]

She's still with us - the speaker is the author, very much alive and well and still writing.

[@FasterFaster196]

@@al201103 I was wondering who the writer was.

[@celticlass8573]

@@FasterFaster196 The writer is Caitlin Moran, who is the one reading the letter. It confused me for a moment too, since I didn't know who she was. :)

[@victoria7t]

​@@FasterFaster196you could have easily found out on your own. Read the description of what the videos about before you watch the video

[@chonkymonster671]

What a wonderful gift that she left for her daughter. And how heartbreaking it must have been for her as she was fading away knowing that she won't be there with her. I'm gonna go call my mom.

[@Soren015]

The woman reading is the author - so don't be heartbroken; she's alive and well!

[@martinwetzel892]

This was incredibly wholesome and heartbreaking at the same time. What a wonderful piece of advice to pass on.

[@oahuhawaii2141]

Wholesome up until 05:30.

[@hobistinyheartbag]

I’m so glad she is here and sharing her own letter 💜

[@ApocalypseofMichael]

What an incredible letter; written by an incredible woman❤

[@grannypeacock]

I have officially adopted this woman as my mother

[@bainslayer]

immediately taking notes, this is how you say goodbye.

[@berulan8463]

'Don't stop me now" is such a great soundtrack for life, death and ever after.

[@MrBizteck]

Ive requested that Banjo song .. ' no more fucks to give' to be played at mine.

[@blackbutterfly1517]

Brilliant and funny. This letter is a treasure. ⭐️

[@matthewotto8322]

For the record, as he hung on his cross, Christ was making plans to hang out later, with his new friend on the cross next to him.

[@mikes5637]

"Get a big biscuit tin". Advice to live by.

[@joealtmaier9271]

I told my kids this all the time. It's not a waste if you get a story out of it!

[@pamlou4330]

One of the best letter I heard in my life !

[@WhiteCamry]

It's not every Mum who lives to read her posthumous letter of advice to her daughter and get laughs.

[@judycroteau482]

I believe that it is someone else’s letter - not the narrator. Just a great letter that needed to be heard by many people.

[@judycroteau482]

I stand corrected. I just read the description and the narrator DID write this letter to her daughter one day when she felt like she was dying. I love this woman! What an amazing letter! ❤

[@garyb2392]

This was an amazing gift to her daughter…and that we get a chance to hear it! TY

[@Locklear33]

That is one hell of a mum❤

[@JadBouHarfouch]

Never left a comment before, but this was the best letter and advice I have heard in a long time

[@eleanor.shadow]

Love this! If I ever need to leave someone a letter, I hope I can dole out such sound advice in such a funny way 😆

[@hanyabi-habib8226]

Awwwww, this one is so sweet. 😿

[@NaughtyNecro]

As a smoker with self image issues, I needed this.

[@alenemarie1726]

I miss my dad so much. This hits so hard when he isn’t here to tell me he loves me.

[@ladyhawke1357]

What priceless words and so beautifully read.

[@helenmartin8051]

Brilliantly written !!!! 😊

[@glenmcfarlane]

I’ve just shared this with my 3 daughters. How glorious.

[@lonniekropf808]

One of the best letters I’ve heard so far.

[@rosieHolliday5887]

That might have been the best I've heard so far. What an absolutely diamond mum. I bet she was a pleasure to know. RIP fantastic lady x

[@KaritKtana]

The thumbnail alone makes her look like a fun witch. Brilliant! 👏✨

[@mrketteringhan]

What a fantastic letter, and can think of no one better to have read it. Wonderful.

[@iwantmyoperahouse]

Yes, because she herself is the author, right? Just thought I’d point it out because it’s my second time listening to this and only just now realised that Caitlin Moran wrote this. I was now browsing the comments to see if anyone else got it 😊

[@dsatt57]

This is brilliant advice, every word.

[@gilesmcdowall8860]

Why can’t all mothers be like this? Loads of advice and a sense of humour 🤣

[@lightningwingdragon973]

This restored my faith in humanity

[@arxaaron]

Brilliant. Lovely. I needed this in so many ways!

[@kalachulip]

Thank you. Dropped by this channel when I needed to hear ~the-right-words. Thanks a lot. 🥺

[@carabiner7999]

Just so brilliant!

[@madderhat5852]

Can something pierce your mind, heart and gut at the same time?

[@AshtonArcher]

Astonished by how much she sounds like Victoria Coren Mitchell!

[@mariannegeraud6318]

Only a mum can give such realistic, graphic,down to earth and so easy to understand advice!!!

[@grahamyates2490]

Try reading Rudyard Kipling's poem "If". It might give you an idea of the type of advice a father can give.

[@mariannegeraud6318]

@@grahamyates2490 I have read it and I loved it...some moving advice on how to be a better person and live life to the fullest!

[@johnrowland3105]

Awesome. Love the idea of a crem full of folk wearing plastic moustaches singing along to Don't stop me now, laughing out loud as the song progresses.

[@citygirlphotos.tutonelyles4386]

Wonderful👏

[@fariesz6786]

i can say out of experience that not all horrid experiences make for amazing anecdotes. then again i have long decided to live my f•••ed up life as if they did. must not be _my_ problem if people don't _like_ hearing some things if it's important for me to tell those stories. this mum was a blessing like mine fortunately still is. an aspiration. a hero.

[@celticlass8573]

She's still alive, fortunately. :)

[@primrosedahlia9466]

Yeah I agree, but I think she was referring more to the times you totally screw up and make a fool out of yourself, than stories of abuse.

[@caigner]

THAT was a brilliant presentation!

[@chandana___]

Wow.. Wow... Loved this so much..

[@Kobe29261]

Louise Brealeys performance of her How to Build a Girl is in my top 10 audio books of all time!

[@lisca2866]

Amazing!! Very talented

[@inpuris13]

this was actually very helpful

[@arlenehutchinson9259]

Thanks mum ❤

[@annathy]

Best advice ever.

[@user-zj7cs2bc2i]

Amazing! 👏👏👏👏

[@DavidDel88]

What a woman! Love her!

[@watcherintherye1111]

This one is surely my favourite of all these...

[@elainepayne7047]

The very best advice ever!

[@elh141]

Thank you from mind, heart and lovely soft body. Patting leg as I type. 💚

[@claytonskids6764]

YES! REAL life lessons !…… Thank You 💕🤗👍

[@kristykienitz3061]

Love this!!!

[@writtenwordsschoolofenglish]

What a brilliant letter! I must show this to my own daughter.

[@LindaNelOlivier]

This is just the best in every way.

[@Anil18834]

What a WONDERFUL letter!

[@busayoogunsola3458]

That was brilliant!!!

[@chanjessiet]

I have tears in my hear when I feel her love

[@hwway4488]

So much joy 😊

[@rushiaskinnerwallace6175]

I adore this

[@MelissaThompson432]

I want her to be my new friend.... I need to be told occasionally to have a cup of tea and a biscuit, and I want her to preplan my funeral.

[@sarahjones8396]

Hear, hear!

[@denisemcdougal6445]

I love this mother her letter of ❤

[@lmg7503]

Life, and a letter we should be handed before we walk it's path.😁

[@christinearmington]

Marvelous! ❤

[@tomjahnes7811]

my favorite so far

[@Carolmaizy]

Perfect!

[@patrickhicks9880]

i love this channel

[@johnmunro4952]

Oh that's beautiful

[@Misstressofdons]

What a beautiful letter

[@Falbala146]

this is so beautiful.

[@annmc8392]

Good advice, hope young people take note.

[@shadowjack8]

So relatable. My daughter keeps picking guys that she thinks she can fix. Then she married on of them, at her baby shower.

[@antonellahuron496]

this is wonderful advice :)

[@kattoneycliffe6715]

Very good advice there!!

[@brolly414]

How lovely

[@MysteryMommy1]

Thank you

[@ellenbryn]

what a great mom. I hope they had fun with the Freddie Mercury sendoff.

[@is.this.really.important]

I wish I had known this woman. I wish she had been my mother. Rest in peace.

[@sarahsagar2129]

🤣 she's very much alive... after all, you are watching her right now!

[@nikiTricoteuse]

The woman reading the letter IS the woman who wrote it. She wrote it to give to her daughter.

[@CLL9262]

@@nikiTricoteuse Are you sure ? How can/do you know this?

[@nikiTricoteuse]

@@CLL9262 It says in the drop down description. (Click on the down arrow to the right of the title.) The woman's name is Caitlin Moran and it's the first draft of a letter she wrote in 2013, to her eldest daughter who was about to turn 13, in case she died before her daughter grew up.

[@CLL9262]

@@nikiTricoteuse Thank you for this info. What a stunning idea to do this. I wonder what effect such a lettre had on her daughter..

[@yoeshelkarma1494]

This is the best letter to be read

[@sandjune2753]

What a great mum

[@wisbrington1559]

how adorable

[@jennyfulcher8035]

Hilariously and touching sound advice from Mummy!

[@kevincaldwell4707]

This letter should be used in universities to explain how life should be lived

[@rismau83]

She sounds like Victoria Coren Mitchell ☺️

[@PM_82]

Was looking through the comments if someone commented this already .. :)

[@Gradhmhor27]

2:36 -2:57 100%, but it’s not a joke. Great advice❤

[@LM-he7eb]

True, silent soul suckers, whose work happens in the shadows really exist. Narcissist, whose primary hobby is crushing people's self esteem really exist