That time I was going to send an Instagram direct message to Troian Bellisario

but it was way too long for the character limit. So I'm posting it here instead. 

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Dear Troian,

Thank you for inspiring me to find my new passion and healing in aerial silks! I was a gymnast as a child, but I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) that results in a lot of injuries (among other things), and lead me to a fear of most exercise, body issue problems, and an eating disorder. I went from being a competitive gymnast to literally injuring myself in low-impact activities such as swimming, Pilates, and just standing. This left me with a lot of self doubt and hatred toward my body. While I technically recovered from the eating disorder behaviors a few years ago, I continued to hate my body - and often still do. With aerial silks, I have rediscovered the thrill of flying that epitomized my childhood and my outlook on life. I am finally beginning the process of learning to trust, appreciate, and (I hope one day) love my body not just for how it looks, but for what it is capable of doing. Thank you for helping me on my journey of finding peace with my body despite the physical challenges that I will continue to face with my diagnosis of EDS.

Love,
H
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For the record, I do still watch Pretty Little Liars and Troian is absolutely one of my favorite actresses. 

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