Woodstone Graduation Speech

I am a changed person. 

Where I was once weak, now I am strong. 

Where there were once blemishes, they now have healed. 

Where I lacked vision, I have gained sight of my destiny. 

I am so grateful for these shifts in my thinking. 

I once again think that I can move mountains. 

I dream of a beautiful future. 

My days before coming to Woodstone were filled with depression and gloom. 

I was, very simply put, living to die. 

My relationship with food was non existent. 

My relationship towards myself was harsh and detrimental. 

I hated myself and what had happened to me. 

I was slowly dying... 

and I didn’t care. 

But I arrived at Woodstone ready. 

Ready to conquer new mountains. 

Ready to work as hard as I could. 

I readied my heart for change. 

Prepared it for knowledge to enter it. 

Prepared it to open up and be exposed. 

To be cleaned up and filled with goodness. 

I showed up. 

And I am proud of my time here. 

I set my sights to work as hard as I possibly could. 

And that’s exactly what I did. 

I showed up every single day. 

Worked as hard as I could. 

And I have changed. 

I have reacquainted myself with me. 

Reminded myself of my interests and likes. 

Found for myself once again reasons to live. 

I remembered that I do indeed have purpose. 

That I have value. 

That I mean something to people. 

That my life has the capacity to change lives. 

I am slowly, 

Very slowly becoming proud of the person I am. 

and who I am becoming. 

I am grateful for Woodstone. 

For guiding me towards goals and achievements: that I didn’t even know that I had before coming here. 

For counselling me in directions that once again set my heart ablaze. 

For helping me navigate through the dark places, so that light could shine through. 

For manoeuvring me around the tough places to give me insight to how my eating disorder began. 

I am truly just grateful for my time here. 

Thank you all once again for all that you do and have done for me.