EDC Advocate shares her experience with lobby day last week. Thank you Taylor Meneley for your beautiful poem!

Past and Present

We were in the 8th grade.

We were 13 years old.

We were best friends.

We would hang out with the guys.

We were the normal teenage girls.

We would stand in front of the mirror together.

We would do our hair in a different way and try new makeup.

We stood there together trashing our bodies.

We began to struggle; together, each in our own way.

We struggled together in a silent understanding.

We listened to media and our peers.

We saw imperfection.

We had no allies to tell us differently.

We turned 14.

We graduated from 8th grade.

We went to Washington DC together on our 8th grade trip.

We laughed.

We cried.

We talked.

We heard the pain each of us felt.

We heard how those struggles had led us into a darkness with no visible light.

We didn’t know how deep into the darkness we would actually go.

We stopped struggling together in a silent understanding.

We began to struggle alone.

We lost each other.

We started high school.

We missed the fun.

We saw no meaning to life.

We lost our way.

Now, we are seniors.

Now, we are 18.

Now is present day.

We are back together.

We are best friends.

We return to Washington DC.

We see more light than darkness.

We no longer struggle in silence.

We found our voice.

We no longer say hateful things about ourselves.

We speak out against Eating Disorders.

We no longer let them define our lives.

We enjoy life.

We are found.

We can be FREED.

If you want to share your experience too we'd love to hear from you.  Please email us at JeanineCogan@starpower.net