Finally, It Is Time

I'm not sure how to begin...

I've been thinking about this for days, but haven't come to any conclusions. I've reworked the title of this blog a million times. I've started and deleted more posts than I can count. But finally it is time. I will not delete this post.

I can't for the life of me understand why bad things happen to good people. Why do we suffer needlessly? Why do we run out of money when we most need it? Why do men discard women like we are possessions---to be used and then thrown away? Why don't we (they) notice it when we (they) have it so good?

And why can't I save the world? Even with all of my best intentions and idealism, I cannot change the way things happen.

I was at the NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) annual Gala Friday night. It was a wonderful night of dinner and dancing and awards. Dr. Cynthia Pegler got the medical contribution award. Zina Garrison, Olympic gold medalist, got the lifetime achievement award. And Allison Kreiger got the Youth Advocate award. It was an evening of community, caring and philanthropy. We were united against eating disorders. We were working toward the NEDA Mission of "a world without eating disorders." I don't know if I will ever see that day, but I will work hard to get there.

The work that NEDA (and other organizations like it) does is vitally important. It saves lives. But there is still work to be done. As long as eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, there will still be work to be done.

We need scholarship programs to provide people with treatment even when they don't have the money or insurance coverage to pay. We need more helplines. We need more prevention and outreach programs. We need more people fighting for themselves in this life or death battle.

Basically, we need so much. I don't have the answers on how to get it. All I can do is point out the need and hope that one day we will get there.