We all have secret struggles, but for one depressed teen, hers is presented for the world to see whenever she goes outside.

Teen Bekah Georgy of Salem, New Hampshire, has been battling anorexia for most of her young life.

point 83 |

“When you look at me, you might assume I’m happy, bubbly, outgoing and full of life.point 349 |

But you don’t really see the complete me.point 36 | You wouldn’t know that behind this plastered smile is a girl who has broken and fallen to pieces,” she explained to The Mighty.point 145 | “You wouldn’t know this girl had so much self-hate, she starved herself for over half her young life.point 233 |

Or that she’s tried to end her own life five times.point 43 | ”point 46 | 1

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For Bekah, days are difficult but she finds the strength to go on. One day in particular stands out to Bekah, a day that was just too hard to bear… a day where terrible, rotten suicidal thoughts flooded her mind.

But like the days before, Bekah found the strength to attempt normalcy and go to Starbucks to treat herself to a cup of iced coffee. The barista did not ask for her name, but Bekah noticed that she scribbled something on her cup. Something simple, but poignant for Bekah.

The simple word, “Smile!”

Following the encounter, Bekah took to The Mighty, to pen an open letter to the barista.

Dear barista,

You didn’t know me and you didn’t know my story.point 55 | Most importantly, you probably didn’t know writing the simple word “smile” on my order would change my day for the better.point 163 | When you look at me, you might assume I’m happy, bubbly, outgoing and full of life.point 233 |

But you don’t really see the complete me.point 36 | You wouldn’t know that behind this plastered smile is a girl who has broken and fallen to pieces.point 118 | You wouldn’t know this girl had so much self-hate, she starved herself  for over half her young life.point 205 |

Or that she’s tried to end her own life five times.point 43 | I’m guessing you didn’t know these past few weeks, and that day particularly, had been extremely hard.point 133 | You were just going about your job, unaware that writing a minuscule word on my drink would change my day and possibly my life.point 237 |

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Maybe you wrote “smile” on my drink because you saw the feeding tube. Or maybe you could see past my fake smile because you’ve been where I am. Either way, I’m grateful. You didn’t have to make my order special. You could have treated me like another annoying customer. But you took that extra second to add some positivity to a life that’s been filled with so much negatively lately.

To read the rest, go here.

Remember that the little small gestures of love and happiness mean the world too!

[rsnippet id=”5″ name=”DFP/34009881/Article_2″]What random act of kindness have you done lately?

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