I remember the day I first saw my sister's problem. It was 1982, the first day of 8th grade. I had spent the morning getting ready with my sister. We had walked to the bus stop together, walked toward school together. But, this whole time I didn't really see her.

I don't know what hour it was, but I know I was in choir and someone asked me, "What happened to your sister?" I was confused. What? They said something like, "She's so skinny now. Is she okay?"

Later I saw her in the hallway, and it was like she had suddenly dropped 30 pounds or more. She was dangerously thin. She was 15 years old, 5'6" or 5'7" and weighed around 85 pounds.

How did I not see this?

I remember thinking it was so strange how you don't really notice someone change when they are with you every day. I don't want to be too hard on myself, because I was just a 13 year old kid, but why didn't I see her? I don't understand why someone else had to point this out to me.

I remember her cooking for me and I don't remember her eating with me. At some point I remember her running up and down the hallway past our bedrooms, and going up and down the stairs obsessively. At the time it just seemed odd.

Writing this has made me cry. I want to take away that little girl's pain and help my big sister love herself. If I could do it over again, I don't know what I would even do differently. But, I'd start with just opening my eyes.