As Thanksgiving approaches, I'm thinking more about what I'm thankful for. While the list is seemingly endless, I did want to take the time to recognize a person who played a significant role in my life.
This resurgence of feelings started after my friend, who I wrote about in my last two pieces, started treatment at an eating disorder facility. When she confirmed it and gave me the address, I pulled out four cards, wrote messages in each of them, and sent them to her.
I was instantly reminded of the time that I went to inpatient treatment in high school. My best friend - let's call her "Sausi" - was the only friend I told that I was going away to treatment (by that time, she already knew I had an eating disorder).
When I arrived, she had a package for me. It contained seven cards, numbered "1" through "7," and she let me know that I was supposed to open one card a day to help ease into my first week of treatment.
I did. For the first seven days, I opened a card each morning. Over the course of 60 days, she sent me many more cards, and I think her family even sent me a few cards as well.
Each week, I only had a certain amount of time to talk on the phone. I also wasn't able to email anyone because we couldn't use the Internet. However, "outsiders" could fax us eating disorder patients whenever they wanted. Every day without fault I would get two faxes - one from my parents and one from Sausi. Every single day for 60 days.
Sausi might be surprised to learn that I still have every single card and every fax that she sent to me. I treasure them all. I treasure her.
My best friend was an incredible person and I will always appreciate the care and consideration she showed me not only when I was in treatment, but both before and after. So, this Thanksgiving, along with all of the usual things I'm grateful for, I'm sending a special thanks to Sausi - a really, really good friend.
