I hope someday that each person learns that every single day on Earth is a precious gift. Because you never know when it will end. I learned this through my own pain and struggle. I even tried ending my own life several times. I was anorexic and bulimic and I was tired of fighting the same fight everyday. The third time I overdosed they sent me to a treatment center. I was miserable there because all control I had was taken away from me. I had to eat or they would tube feed me. They locked my bathroom door. All night I would stay up and exercise in my room. Everyday all I thought about was food, my weight, how I looked, and how I wanted it to all be over. While I was there a girl I went to school with hung herself. She was anorexic and bulimic. I cried because it hit so close to home. I wanted more than anything to be able to talk to her and tell her I understood. I kept staring at her picture in the obituary and kept thinking that was almost me. I hated her for escaping the pain while I was in this place feeling every damn thing. It affected me even though I didn’t talk to her. But it was a week later that really changed me. I was on the phone with my mom when she told me a girl in my class was killed in a car accident. She said her and a girl from another school were both killed. I knew Katie fairly well and knew her friends. The whole thing shocked me. While I was in my room on the unit I had this horrible feeling. I just knew right then that my friend Ashley was the other person. Ashley and Katie were best friends. I called my mom and she confirmed my fears. Ashley was dead. I knew Ashley from school (before she moved schools), we were good friends in 6^th and 7^th grade. My old best friend was her cousin. We were in jazz together and we always got in trouble for being loud and goofing off. Ashley was so full of life and loved everyone, and everyone loved her. After I found out I ran to my room crying uncontrollably.

“How could God take someone so great who wanted to live? Why didn’t he take me? It wasn’t fair they had to die. They didn’t do anything wrong!” I thought over and over. It has been 3months sense their accident. I finally understand a little bit more. Katie and Ashley are my inspiration to recover. They lived a short life, but it was a great one. No one chooses when they die, nor do they know. They accomplished a lot in their short time on Earth. Live each day as if it’s your last. Don’t throw life away. So do it for Katie and Ashley, but most importantly do it for yourself.