To The Younger Girl I Once Was

"If I could turn back time, if I could find a way, I'd take back those words that hurt you..." That's what Cher sang a few years back.

If I could turn back time, I'd want to make a stop and visit with my younger self. The self I was before I was diagnosed. That girl was confused, hurting, and tired of hearing the phrase it's in your head.

How I wish someone had told me back then, what I know now. To know that change is always scary, but it isn't always bad. I wish someone had told me that while there is a sense of relief in having a name for what is wrong with you, it isn't where things end. I would tell my younger self this.

Most of all, I would tell that girl what I tell others these days. The saying about a village raising a child is also true about living with an invisible condition. To that end, it is important to let people help you rather than struggle with trying to manage it all on your own. Accepting help is a sign of strength rather than weakness.

However, as much as help is a good thing, you must also play an active role in managing your condition. Be knowledgeable about the condition, treatment options, and what your body is feeling. You wouldn't just head off somewhere randomly without doing a bit of research first, even if just to now they have food you like, so why treat your health any differently?

A condition, an illness, a change in life doesn't make you any less, that's what I'd tell her as I pull her into a hug filled with the promise of things turning out okay.