sits in the corner & listens (well, reads)

From girlSpoken: from pen, brush & tongue, edited byJessica Hein, Heather Holland, and Carol Kauppi, Second Story Press, 2007

SPLENDORS

I sing that your clothes should fit you, that you should not have to fit your clothes.

I sing knowing that you’re not alone. Share and be open with others, and you will be surprised how fast you will heal.

I sing that you will not waste your time looking in the mirror. It is a piece of glass, with edges so sharp it can rip you apart. Life is better spent enjoying the splendors that surround us, rather than picking aprt the marvels we wish were not ours.

I sing not wasting your time on jealousy.

I sing that you are not worthless. I sing you’re a good person who deserves goodness. What life gives you may not be ok and that is normal.

I sing because someone loves you.

I sing not reading beauty magazines. I sing your sense of beauty, which is independent of two-dimensional glossy images. If you decide to read beauty magazines, I sing to indulge with a critical mind.

I sing getting to know your parents because time is ticking ant they mayb e gone soon – today, tomorrow, next year. I sing giving them a chance. They just might surprise you at how insightful they are.

I sing not forgetting to smile. Your smile is the first thing that people will notice about you. I sing how amazing it is that seventeen tiny little muscles can brighten a day.

I sing creating solutions.

I sing because I believe in you.

Jessica Shewbridge, 16

“I wrote this during my last week as a patient at a day-treatment program for eating disorders. It is a treasure chest of what I learned.”