TWLOHA

I just bought two T-Shirts from the Non-Profit Organisation 'To Write Love On Her Arms'. One Green (I'm trying to branch out in terms of colours within wadrobage) and one Black. To say that these shirts are popular in the States is like saying that there's a few random people who actually watch X-Factor.

Needless to say, that when I live in Florida, although wanting  to embrace the loveness, it simply wasn't an option.

When the shirts arrived, there was a postcard with the order, which sums up what the organisation stands for, it read: 

"She has known such great pain; haunted dreams as a child, the near-constant presence of evil ever since. She has felt the touch of awful naked men, battled depression and addiction, and attempted suicide. Her arms remember razor blades, fifty scars that speak of self-inflicted wounds. Six hours after I meet her, she is feeling trapped, two groups of 'friends' offering opposite ideas. Everyone is asleep. The sun is rising. She drinks long from a bottle of liquor, takes a razor blade from the table and locks herself in the bathroom. She cuts herself, using the blade to write 'Fuck up' large across her left forearm.
Stop the Bleeding.
Rescue is Possible.
Love is the Movement."

Having encountered only a handful of people in my life that have suffered from depression or cutting, I am no expert. However, the heartache that one experiences when listening to the story of someone who has suffered from these issues is as intense as I have ever felt. None of us are ever quite sure how to help someone in this position and I'll be honest, learning more of TWLOHA, buying a shirt or signing up on their e-mail list may well not help in that situation. But it may well help someone and make more people aware of the issues facing so many young people today.

www.twloha.com

In a bit. Love J.