Dear Winner,

The road to recovery is a long journey, but you made it. After all this time, you defeat your demons, slayed the dragon, won the war. You beat your depression.

If someone had told you a few years ago that one day you would wake up ready to face the day what would you have said? What if they told you that you would be happy? You would probably laugh and ask what is happiness. What if they told you that God will give you the strength to drain the poison out of your life? All those people and memories that dragged you down will be gone and you will be surrounded by people who really care about you.

Remember when you couldn't imagine a future? Remember when you tried to make sure you would never get one? Who knew that one day you'd be thinking positive thoughts about the years to come.

There will always be difficult times, but you know how to thrive during them, now. I am so proud of you. All the pain during those dark days are mere battle scars now. And what's better is that you are going to help people who have similar wounds.

Not a lot of people understand what it's like to loathe your existence and question every little thing to make sure you haven't screwed something up. When you forget to take your medicine and all of a sudden you're back in that dark, sad place. You understand and you are a model for others that things will get better if you don't give up.

I'm writing this at a time when things are good, but you still depend on medication to help you. One day, you won't have to. I'm so proud of you.

You beat depression. You won!

Love, a Fighter