To the Woman in the Mirror Comparing Herself to 'Old You'

You look so different now. You have changed so much over the course of a year. You were once full of spirit and energy, optimism and hope. You were limitless.

It’s crazy what a year can do.

You used to dance.

You used to work out.

You used to be fit and in shape.

But all that changed when you got sick.

You now cannot walk up the stairs without feeling faint.

You can’t stand up too quickly.

You sometimes cannot even get out of bed in the morning.

But do not be discouraged over the old you.

You are much wiser now.

You are more compassionate.

You love harder.

You don’t take things for granted.

I know it is hard for you. You see the imperfections that last year bestowed upon you. But, my dear, you are more beautiful than ever. Your heart works better than ever (metaphorically speaking) and you live your life with every ounce you can.

The obstacles you have come across may have caused you to stumble, but you have gotten back up and finished the race.

Please do not cry over what you lost, but rather smile over what you have. You have a loving family, a man who is more than a blessing, caring coworkers and adoring friends.

Your illness has not stopped you from living; it has opened your eyes to a new way of life, a new you.

The Mighty is asking its readers the following: Share with us the moment, if you’ve had it, where you knew everything was going to be OK. If you’d like to participate, please send a blog post to community@themighty.com. Please include a photo for the piece, a photo of yourself and 1-2 sentence bio. Check out our Submit a Story page for more about our submission guidelines.

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