Dear Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul,
In January 1996, the year I started high school, my father committed suicide. For two years, I held everything inside, never letting out how much I missed my dad. It was so painful to know that my dad and I would never spend those special times together. He’d never be able to see his “Little Pooh Bear” walk into high school on her first day or see her win a first-place trophy on her new horse.
Over the next two years I became progressively more depressed and withdrawn. I was miserable and could not remember what it felt like to be happy. All I felt was sadness and the overwhelming sense of having been rejected.
In 1998, I was put on medication and started counseling. I was told that I should be in therapy and on the pills for six months. After six months, I was still feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. I tried to stop taking my medication, but every time I did, I just collapsed back into my sinkhole. That was when I first heard of your books.
My mom gave me the first Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul for my birthday. I could not put it down. It helped me gain a more positive attitude once again. I felt as if I could overcome my despair, and I started thinking toward the future again. Eventually I started feeling strong enough to get off my medication and stop therapy. After a year of being helped, I was ready to help myself.
It is now January 2000, and in three days it will be the anniversary of my dad’s death. It has been four long, hard years, but with the help of family, friends and, of course, Chicken Soup, I’ve managed to experience gratitude for all of my hardships and times of trial. I believe that I have grown tremendously in mind and spirit by living through these tough experiences.
I recently received Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II, and it is helping me deal with my mom’s new marriage and my new stepfamily. I would like to thank you for these books. I’m sure that teenagers all over the world feel the same way that I do. These books are a lifesaver, a buoy to hold onto in the ocean of life. I am truly grateful to you all for all of the hard work you put into these books. Your work is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Kirsti Kay
[Editors’ Note: Depression is a serious illness and often requires therapy and medication. While many people have found comfort and support within the pages of Chicken Soup books, we encourage those in need of further help to seek professional guidance and medical advice as needed.]