Making Healthy Choices Can Change Your Life?

So. To explain my point, I think I need to provide some background about how I gained weight. Or atleast, this is my mom's tentative theory... My first two years of highschool were very turbulent. Don't get me wrong, I was a pretty happy kid, and did well in school, but my family life was a little iffy. My sophomore year, we found out that my mother had cancer, and that after her surgery she would have to recieve chemotherapy and radiation.
Soon after recieving this news, our new neighbor, Hilly, moved in across the street. Hilly was one of the most wonderful, lively women I have ever met. She was still a sixteen year old at heart, and very nurturing. She had moved here, to Vermont, from New York City, where she was a personal chef for celeberities. Her cooking was delicious, and of course, very fattening. She loved cooking, and she would cook when she was stressed. And her new job made her REALLY stressed. She was also an insomniac. So she would be up until 3 AM every morning cooking. And of course, since she was so kind, she would leave huge meals for us on our doorstep almost every day while my mother was getting chemo. She also opened up her home to my best friend and I as a safe place. She made us stuffed shells, garlic bread, and her famous chocolate cake every time we were there, and we always ended up on her couch watcing hours of Heroes together. Hilly arrived at my most vulnerable point. I was looking for nurture since my mother was too sick to give it, and found it in Hilly. And by default, I turned to food for comfort. Since I was in need of a lot of comfort, of course I ate a ton. And quickly gained all this weight.
But now I'm feeling a whole new level of inspiration to shed the pounds. But not just that, I want to live a more healthy lifestyle. My mother, now healthy and thriving, thinks that the best part of my new motivation is that it comes from within. The world can take away a lot of things. It has taken away love, and it almost took away my mother. We've all experienced loss and a lack of control. But this is something that nobody can take away. Love yourself, because that is the only thing you can take control of. I wish that it didn't take a weightloss goal for me to realize this, however, adopting this new philosophy has already had a positive outcome on my life. Not only have I already begun to lose weight (WOOHOO!), but I have a more positive outlook on life. I had a bit of a serial dating pattern this year, but now, for the first time, I feel GREAT about being on my own! And I think other people have noticed the change in my attitude, because all the people that I've hurt, recently forgave me in one big slew! I feel great about the changes I'm making. I didn't know that they would effect my life this much!
I hope this was a good word of encouragement for anyone that's been struggling!