opinions?

so i for this upcoming easter, my mom and i advertised a donation thing for easter baskets for the girlies at western psych. i put together some stuff for easter with just my mom and mine resources, but getting the church involved with donations really helped the amount of stuff i gathered.  but anyways the whole point of me telling you this stuff is that i wanted to write a letter to the ladies/gents struggling in the hospital right now and i wanted to see what everyone's opinions are about the letter i wrote.  i'm not taking the baskets/letters down until this weekend. so be completely honest....i have time to rewrite. but just let me know if this is something you would want to read if you were in the hospital. any criticism will  NOT be taken personally. promise<3

Dear COPE,
As a former patient, i know how hard it is to be stuck in COPE, especially on Holidays.  I know these baskets won't make your stay any easier, but i do really hope it can give you a few minutes of happpiness and entertainment.  sometimes, the little things are the things that get you t hrough the day.  my name is Jen Aikens (i don't know if i had ever met any of you or not) and i had been in and out of COPE since 2004 until my last stay in 2009.  during those five years, i had been admitted to COPE numerous times.  so whatever stage you are at in the recovery process, i am sure it's safe to say i have an idea of what you are going through.  now, at the age of 19 and eight yeras laster, i can finally say i feel as though i am in recovery.  there was a long period of time that i didn't believe recovery was possible.  it felt as though it was so far away and so foreign that i didn't know how to get there.  coming from someone who 1 year ago would have told you that there was no such thing as  recovery - i am telling you that it IS POSSIBLE>  if you give it everything you've got and put as much determination into recovery as you did into eating disordered behaviors, i'm telling you that recovery is possible.  and that is worth every second or hour or day of discomfort.  i'm not going to lie and say it's easy - ou all know that it's not.  all i'm saying is just DO NOT give up on hope in recovery.  many people had stopped believing in me after multpile relapses.  but all you need is belief in yourself/  the want, willingness, and desire to get your life back.
i'm not playing my favorite sport again - tennis.  going to nursing school, working, and looking forward to living on campus next year.  as low as you might feel and as hopeless as a situation might seem, i'm offering you as much hope as i can give.
i hope you all have the best Holiday you possibly can.  and that these baskets can brighten up your day, even if just for a little bit.  good luck and just never. ever. give up<3

Love, Jen Aikens
(former COPER)

"when you feel like giving up, remember why you've held on for so long."




please let me know your honest opinion. thank you, again<3