Hi! My name is Maria Abbe (that’s “Abbey”… yes, I have two first names. Kind of like “Ricky Bobby”). I’m in my mid-twenties, and as all of us do, I have a story to share.
Years ago, when I was just a young little thing at 15 years old, I was diagnosed with an eating disorder. Sometimes it
helps to personify him, so we’ll call him, Doug. (I don’t actually know anyone named Doug.) Doug was my best friend. We spent countless hours restricting food, counting calories, stepping on the scale, off the scale, and then back on again.
Doug was by my side as I obsessed over food, researching all that I could, so that I could force myself not to eat it anyways.
But Doug wasn’t really a good friend to me, and I cared more about him than he did for me. So, despite my inner desire not to, I began to break up with him in college. It was a rough battle, because when he left, in walked a couple new friends – Anxiety and Depression. (They can keep those names.)
I wrestled with Anxiety and Depression in a tumultuous relationship throughout college and then a bit beyond. Anxiety kept me going and doing and being and hustling. But when my body couldn’t take any more, Depression was knocking at my door, making sure I knew I was worthless and a failure.
Then, one day, I found myself in such a state of panic, I was rushed to the hospital – I had an anxiety attack that I could not work myself out of.
It is by the grace of God that one random day after leaving the hospital I decided to go for a run… and my whole world changed.
With the combination of running, God, and therapy I have been able to work myself out the mental turmoil I faced for so many years. And I know you can do the same. I still struggle with short bouts of anxiety and depression from time to time, but the difference is, now I know how to work, pray, and run through it.
So that’s why I’m here. To share my story, my life, my insights, so that you too can work through the what’s going on in your life.
God is so good, my dear friends, and so is running.
Let’s begin this journey to peace and joy together.
Love,
Maria
Want some more background on this blog? Check out these two posts Why I Cried Before, During, and After My First Half Marathon (Part I) and Why I Cried Before, During, and After My First Half Marathon (Part II) to learn more.