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	<title>Comments on: 6 Years of Freedom</title>
	<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/</link>
	<description>You are either IN or you are OUT.</description>
	<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:11:24 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>by: donewaiting</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-11150081</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:37:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-11150081</guid>
					<description>What a moving post...I take solace in knowing that underneath the veneer of &amp;amp;#34;OK-ness&amp;amp;#34;, EVERYONE struggles.  It's part of being human--if only everyone could be transparent about their suffering, what a different place the world would be.  Huge kudos to your for having the guts to share your story.  As you know it's about daily choices....keep going!!  :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What a moving post&#8230;I take solace in knowing that underneath the veneer of &quot;OK-ness&quot;, EVERYONE struggles.  It&#8217;s part of being human&#8211;if only everyone could be transparent about their suffering, what a different place the world would be.  Huge kudos to your for having the guts to share your story.  As you know it&#8217;s about daily choices&#8230;.keep going!!  <img src='http://blog.bodybuilding.com/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />
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		<title>by: Anonymous</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-11079671</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:07:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-11079671</guid>
					<description>This is an inspiration to others that you can fulfill your dreams with a lot of hard work and effort.  Thank you for sharing and good luck.  I hope to share a stage right next to you one day.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is an inspiration to others that you can fulfill your dreams with a lot of hard work and effort.  Thank you for sharing and good luck.  I hope to share a stage right next to you one day.
</p>
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		<title>by: MichelleParish</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10932691</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:56:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10932691</guid>
					<description>idk if youll read this. but you are my hero. My mom is an alcoholic. i lived with her until i was 16 and i just couldnt take it anymore. I took care of my self from 12 to 16 ^&amp;amp;#38;amp; then moved with my aunt. it made me the person i am today but she really tortured me. shes my mom though i love her &amp;amp;#38;amp; i know what its like to need to escape and to fall into the trap. she lives in mississippi now. 2 yrs sober. but she almost died to get to that point. &amp;amp;#38;amp; shes still real skinny &amp;amp;#38;amp; she started smoking again. She doesnt listen she thinks shes fine. I wish she could be more like you but I am going to keep going with this until i can make her proud &amp;amp;#38;amp; show her what you can accomplish in life&amp;amp;#38;amp; when i get money im going to take her out of mississippi &amp;amp;#38;amp; get her a trainer &amp;amp;#38;amp; someone to help her get back on track and healthy again so she wont have to live and die in podunk mississippi. im going to tell her about you. shes 48. @ least now i know theres hope. ive forgiven her but she wont forgive herself. one day im going to save her though.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>idk if youll read this. but you are my hero. My mom is an alcoholic. i lived with her until i was 16 and i just couldnt take it anymore. I took care of my self from 12 to 16 ^&amp; then moved with my aunt. it made me the person i am today but she really tortured me. shes my mom though i love her &amp; i know what its like to need to escape and to fall into the trap. she lives in mississippi now. 2 yrs sober. but she almost died to get to that point. &amp; shes still real skinny &amp; she started smoking again. She doesnt listen she thinks shes fine. I wish she could be more like you but I am going to keep going with this until i can make her proud &amp; show her what you can accomplish in life&amp; when i get money im going to take her out of mississippi &amp; get her a trainer &amp; someone to help her get back on track and healthy again so she wont have to live and die in podunk mississippi. im going to tell her about you. shes 48. @ least now i know theres hope. ive forgiven her but she wont forgive herself. one day im going to save her though.
</p>
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		<title>by: melly</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10786511</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2009 05:54:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10786511</guid>
					<description>WOW! Ava thanks for sharing that with the internet world. I am so glad I viewed your bodyspace page. you are my favorite female figure competitor, although i admire a lot of other women, too. Well i love Melissa hall, too. i always follow what the 2 of you are upto. :)

you story helps me see that the world is not over because of past mistakes. i graduated last year with a ba from a good university in CA; however, i began drinking excessively  and getting high so my grades plummeted. for the past year i have been so bummed out,  i wasn't driving a mercedes or anything lol,  but i had to give up my apartment and other materials to move back home with my folks and its been rough.  now i want to go to law school and i am thinking about trying to become a fitness model.  i mention it to some people and when they hear about my gpa or see me they just lol. However, your story helps me to keep my hope and to fight for what i want. 

i know that was long :plays the violin: but thank you for sharing you story. i have been sober for 8 months and will continue to be and create new goals and be the best me i can. thank you Ava.

p.s. you looks AMAZINGLY beautiful!! Congrats on winning Figure Universe and i hope one day in the near future you can step onto a NPC stage again. You are a huge reason why i am interested in the fitness industry. You will! you rock Ava!!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>WOW! Ava thanks for sharing that with the internet world. I am so glad I viewed your bodyspace page. you are my favorite female figure competitor, although i admire a lot of other women, too. Well i love Melissa hall, too. i always follow what the 2 of you are upto. <img src='http://blog.bodybuilding.com/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>you story helps me see that the world is not over because of past mistakes. i graduated last year with a ba from a good university in CA; however, i began drinking excessively  and getting high so my grades plummeted. for the past year i have been so bummed out,  i wasn&#8217;t driving a mercedes or anything lol,  but i had to give up my apartment and other materials to move back home with my folks and its been rough.  now i want to go to law school and i am thinking about trying to become a fitness model.  i mention it to some people and when they hear about my gpa or see me they just lol. However, your story helps me to keep my hope and to fight for what i want. </p>
<p>i know that was long :plays the violin: but thank you for sharing you story. i have been sober for 8 months and will continue to be and create new goals and be the best me i can. thank you Ava.</p>
<p>p.s. you looks AMAZINGLY beautiful!! Congrats on winning Figure Universe and i hope one day in the near future you can step onto a NPC stage again. You are a huge reason why i am interested in the fitness industry. You will! you rock Ava!!
</p>
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		<title>by: Jane</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10664671</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:44:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10664671</guid>
					<description>As I read this, I am amazed.  I was drawn to your picture because you are the person I want to be.  After reading your story with almost 2 years sobriety, I can see that my dream is possible.  Someone else out there has been through it and has broke through it, risen above the ashes and ultimately got to the other side.  Wow.  I am so proud of you because I know what it takes to get sober.  I am astonished by your physical results.  You give me hope.  Lasting hope.  And I thank you.  All the best, Jane</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As I read this, I am amazed.  I was drawn to your picture because you are the person I want to be.  After reading your story with almost 2 years sobriety, I can see that my dream is possible.  Someone else out there has been through it and has broke through it, risen above the ashes and ultimately got to the other side.  Wow.  I am so proud of you because I know what it takes to get sober.  I am astonished by your physical results.  You give me hope.  Lasting hope.  And I thank you.  All the best, Jane
</p>
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		<title>by: astrocastro</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10656991</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:52:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10656991</guid>
					<description>wow you are even stronger and more beautiful on the inside...you are true inspiration and i can only hope to be maybe half as strong as you are</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>wow you are even stronger and more beautiful on the inside&#8230;you are true inspiration and i can only hope to be maybe half as strong as you are
</p>
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		<title>by: liftindiva</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10656911</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:23:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10656911</guid>
					<description>Tears came to my eyes as I read this and I feel so small in the way I have let stress derail my training and my committments. You have come throuigh so much and have achieved so much that it makes my petty stressors seem ridiculous in comparison. I'd like permission to print this and use it as a way to see that I should never let anything get in my way either. You look wonderful and your dedication is to be applauded</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Tears came to my eyes as I read this and I feel so small in the way I have let stress derail my training and my committments. You have come throuigh so much and have achieved so much that it makes my petty stressors seem ridiculous in comparison. I&#8217;d like permission to print this and use it as a way to see that I should never let anything get in my way either. You look wonderful and your dedication is to be applauded
</p>
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		<title>by: demeh</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10616981</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:42:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10616981</guid>
					<description>wow...i would have never thought... you are definatly a tough lady</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>wow&#8230;i would have never thought&#8230; you are definatly a tough lady
</p>
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		<title>by: Diesel313</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10597121</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:07:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10597121</guid>
					<description>Amazing! Keep it going. Makes me want to go workout now!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Amazing! Keep it going. Makes me want to go workout now!
</p>
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		<title>by: sbogard08</title>
		<link>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10594191</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:22:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://blog.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/2009/06/25/6-years-of-freedom/#comment-10594191</guid>
					<description>Once again, Ava...you are truely an amazing woman.  Thank you so much for your candidness.  I know that God is going to bless you to achieve all that you set out to do if you keep Him first. God bless you!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Once again, Ava&#8230;you are truely an amazing woman.  Thank you so much for your candidness.  I know that God is going to bless you to achieve all that you set out to do if you keep Him first. God bless you!
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