The Writing on the Wall

The note was written on lined paper torn from a Hilroy notebook, and it was taped to the inside wall of a cubicle in the women's bathroom of a Canadian university several days ago - a spontaneous and compassionate response by its author to the anguish she was reading about on that selfsame wall.  It touched me, and I had to share it.

The Full Text

To the girl who was raped: You are so strong. I cannot fathom the pain you must have gone through. The fact that you have the bravery to write it (even on a bathroom wall) gives me hope.

To the girl with eating disorders: I promise you, although I don’t know you, you are beautiful, you deserve your health. You deserve freedom from that hell.

To the girl with the alcoholic father: I am so sorry for the agony it must cause. Again, such courage is remarkable.  You must be such a strong person to see such pain.

To the girl whose father died: Missing them never goes away. The ache of their absence never goes away. but the love they had, the memories you share surely must last. I am sure, out of the bottom of my heart, the people who have left you in this world are exceptionally proud of the person you are.

Everytime (sic) I see these walls, these confessions, I feel so blessed to know I have the privledge (sic) of seeing them. Your moments, these secrets, are all precious even though they are sad. To all of you (including those I did not mention, and those who have not yet written)

-You are worthy.
-You are strong.
-You are brave.
-You are loved.
-Somebody cares.