At first I regretted all the time I thought I lost, preoccupied with trying to lose weight. Adele’s lyrics “We were sad of getting old, it made us restless” reminded me of how I used to feel—before it occurred to me:

Life isn’t supposed to be a perfect journey
Even when you try your best things can go wrong
Barriers, set backs and honest mistakes
Help us learn, feel, grow and find out who we are

They also connect us with people
who help us discover our passions
and push our potential

                                                                                      And I’m a better person for this experience.

If I could talk to the girl in the “Before” picture, that’s what I’d tell her.

When We Were Young, by Adele