To Write Love On Her Arms...

I've got lots of blog drafts waiting to be fully written and posted and I think I need to catch up with some of them. This one should have been posted around the 14th February - not vecause that's Valentine's Day but because that's the day after the 2 TWLOHA Days... when it all happened.

It was a bizarre couple of days.

On facebook, my friend invited my to an event called "To Write Love On Her Arms Day" and the simple, straight forward and maybe slightly selfish reason that O said I would attend and write 'love' on my arms on the 12th and 13th February 2010 was because I liked the idea of writing 'love' in a pretty was on my arms.
It wasn't until the day, when I actually looked at the photos, read the descriptions and went on the TWLOHA website to see what it was all about did I realise how much I actually did want to show my support and appreciation.
I looked through every single one of the photos, out of interest and respect for all of the people who had been through something or wanted to support to the organisation. There were over 4000 photos.

A few hours after I posted the photo of my arm, a girl wrote a comment on the photo with a website. "www.givesmehope.com". She'll never know how much this website, and therefore she, has given ME hope.
Go on it and have a look, read the stories on it. They're beautiful, so heartwarming and then really do show that there are good people in this world, that some things are worth hoping for.


All of the stories I read about TWLOHA were inspiring and yet they were heartbreaking. It is an organsiation that supports girls who self harm or want to commit suicide. It sounds horrible - and very depressing - but I found it very interesting and although it was quite upsetting, the girls showed courage, hope and inspiration.
But in the end, all of the stories ended with people telling them that they were beautiful and they should be proud of who they are.

I felt like, with love on my arms, I had a little secret that no-one knew about, like a cut. On my skin, a part of me. It made me began to realise and understand some of the things that I just couldn't grasp before about self harm and suicide. I will never full understand, but I'd like to try to.
I hope the girls all get the help they need and never feel the need to self harm ever again. Writing "love" on their arms might help. Having that little secret.

The couple of days I spent learning about these movements like TWLOHA, Operation Beautiful and all sorts of other inspiring and hopeful things made me think I really want to help people. As soon asI'm 18 (because I was told I wasn't allowed to unless I was 18 or over) I'm going to start doing some volunteer working, helping other people, troubled or lonely people who need a friend.


This picture is of my "To Write Love On Her Arms".

There is always hope.


Write love on your arms - maybe where no-one can see it. Feel like part of the movement.


And remember.
SMILE.

You are beautiful. No matter what anybody says.

x