Too often do I find myself faced with and silenced by the social stigma surrounding depression and anxiety. Too often am I left seemingly alone to deal with my sorrow and stress, to fight the monsters inside my head with nobody in my corner. It wasn't until recently that I realized that these feelings of isolation and loneliness are unwarranted, that I do, in fact, have someone in my corner, and that someone is the woman who taught the lifespan development psychology course I took on Tuesday nights this past academic semester. I never got the chance to tell her how grateful I am for the kindness she showed me, and for the time she took to make me feel like I'm not alone. So, now, with the 500 words allotted for this article, I am going to tell her.

Professor,

Admittedly, I almost dropped your class before the semester even started. I felt inconvenienced by the time the class was held and was so not thrilled that I had a night class on my schedule. Looking back, though, deciding to take your class anyway was probably one of the best decisions that I made this spring semester.

Whether you know it or not, you show your students such warmth and compassion. You are understanding and fair, but most of all, you are kind. It was through your assignments that I was able to open up, not only to you, but to myself, about some of the hardest things I've ever had to go through. It was through your class that I was finally able to start to heal.

It only takes one person like you to completely change another's perspective -- how they view life and how they move on and fight through tough times. Like I said, I never really thanked you for the time you took to comment on my assignments, encouraging me to push forward and showing me that tough times don't last forever, but tough people do.

You told me that I am a fighter and a survivor and to not let my past define me, and that was the first time that I realized that I am more than the mistakes I've made and the pain I've endured.

You told me to keep pushing forward and to not let my sadness derail me, that one day I will end up where I want to be. No one has ever said that to me. I've only ever heard that I'm not good enough to make it in this life, and that nothing I do is ever right.

You will never truly know just how great of impact you've had on me. Even now, I cry typing this letter to you. So, in short, I want to thank you for showing me that with determination and courage, anything and everything can be overcome, but most importantly, I want to thank you for helping to save me from myself.

Sincerely,

Sarah