Punting on the River Cam – this is living

Punting on the River Cam – this is living

Freedom is – punting on the River Cam – at any age!

The wonders of recovering from an eating disorder never cease. Yesterday, I had a go at punting on the River Cam in beautiful Cambridge, England. Here I am, a grandmother, having the time of my life. Yes, My Life. Freedom from an eating disorder means exactly this – the freedom to do what I want to do. And seeing as the eating disorder dominated my thoughts for more than four decades, (my adolescence, 20s, 30s and 40s), I am busing catching up on a lot of living. While in the UK for three weeks to undertake book research with Prof. Ivan Eisler, my work is taking me on many trips out of London. One such trip was to Cambridge and of course, it is important to balance work with leisure. (That’s one of many lessons I have learned!).

Punting on the River Cam was one of my dreams-come-true. I send a heartfelt thank you to (Research Associate at the University of Cambridge) Jodie Allen, who greeted me at Cambridge Train Station and proceeded to treat me to a wonderful day in Cambridge; oh how could one not want to learn, in such a beautiful university city!Jodie escorted me into King’s College Chapel, into a library where books on the shelves were written centuries before White Man settled in Australia in the 1770s. I saw memoirs written in the 1500s. Oh, I could have stayed in that library for weeks!

But Jodie had arranged to take me on a punt ride and I felt as excited as a kid looking at gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.

I attach some pictures. Enjoy!

If you have an eating disorder, or are caring for someone who has an eating disorder, please, please don’t give up. Persist because you can be free of an eating disorder at any age. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I am writing books and enjoying real-life experiences today, because I did not give up. I feel blessed that I had a bunch of ‘dolphins’ around me – a wonderful ex-husband who remains a life long friend, our children, and our grand children. I also had a great bunch of friends who kept faith in me, at times when there was very little ‘me’, and a whole of ‘Ed’. They continue to nudge and nurture me today. Their support enables me to research and write books about eating disorders – which is why I am in the UK – and to give hope to you and others.

My friend Jodie, who I met ‘on the Internet’ in 2009, is very special too. Yesterday was the first time we have met in person. So special!

A Girl Called Tim – escaping from an eating disorder hell.

We met over the ‘Net because she was researching eating disorder memoirs, and I was writing mine (A Girl Called Tim). My friendship with Jodie is one of the many blessings that have flowed from my eating disorder recovery. Never, ever give up!