Kathrin74

I can totally relate to those feelings of "wasting my teenage years". I had them when everybody was picking on me and I was always the odd one out, and then I had them also when I became anorexic... I just wanted to be happy again, and not have that eating disorder that, as you say, consumed my life...

I just want to tell you, looking back now... well, for one thing, things did change and a lot. During my worst two eating disordered years I would have been surprised to know that just a year later I would go to a different country all by myself and have me a whole new adventure... and oh how happy I felt, like I was flying... the relief...

And then also, just generally - I don't really regret having gone through all that, you know? I believe things happen for a reason. If I hadn't had to endure so much teasing as a young teenager, who knows who I would have become. The thing is, I like who I am now. I may seem a little crazy to some people (being a street musician and helping the homeless and not really having any security, and a poet etc) but I think I am more compassionate toward other people because of what I have been through. So it's not really wasted time. Depending on what you make of it, you know? Everything holds the potential for growth.

Kathrin