Marie*

Dearest Marie,
     I'm going to ask you some questions, even though I know the answer to each of them.Why do you this to yourself? Why can't you see what every one else sees in you? Why can't you stop? Why do you say you're in recovery when you're barely eating? Why hasn't treatment made you completely better? What's wrong? Why can't I fix it? Why do you still think you're a bad person? What makes you think it's okay to say such horrible things about yourself? Why won't you get more help? Why do you think you're fat? Why don't you believe that you're beautiful?
     Enough asking. Let me start telling. You need to stop punishing yourself for things that aren't even crimes. You need to be kind to yourself. You need to stop tricking yourself into thinking that you're okay. You're not okay. You're hurting yourself, and you don't even realize it. So, realize it, and stop hurting yourself. Marie, you are a wonderful person. You are my best friend, my sister, my roommate, and my inspiration. You are so many of the reasons why I am still here. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are special. You are strong. You are so much more than your diagnosis. You are so much more than your scars.
     We're in this together. Right? Right.
                                                                                     I love you.
                                                                                     -Erin.

*name has been changed