A recovering addict wrote to me, I want to thank you. Your story inspired me to get to the point I am today. I read your book while being incarcerated and then passed it on to my mom. She read it and never lost hope in me, even though I am sure it was very hard at times, especially when I lost hope in myself. We now have the best relationship that we’ve ever had.
I didn’t truly know what it was like to be happy at the time, but now with just shy of a year clean I am truly happy. It’s amazing how much your life can change in just one year. I thank God for everyday I’m still alive.
My reflection: This young man is the hero. He fought for himself and his family. He is happy today, living a sober life and enjoying an honest relationship with himself and his mother. We celebrate his year of sobriety and we celebrate his today. We say thank you right back.
When my sons and I joined together to tell our story, publishing our fourteen-year tragedy was the last thing I expected to do. I wrote out of pain. But today is a new day and Jeff has been living a sober life for seven years. He is happy and our family is forever grateful that he came home to himself and to us.
Today’s Promise to consider: We will continue to reach out and help others. We won’t allow fear and shame to keep us silent or to suffocate our hope. Today, we choose to stay in gratitude.
“I didn’t truly know what it was like to be happy at the time, but now with just shy of a year clean I am truly happy. It’s amazing how much your life can change in just one year. I thank God for everyday I’m still alive.”
I am grateful for soooo many things… The statement above could be my son talking today, with one minor exception, my son, Michael, is just shy of 7 months clean. I am very proud of him, and beyond grateful; grateful that my son is alive today. I am also hopeful… And optimistic. Mike is MORE than optimistic – He is confident in his recovery, he is strong, and, HE is grateful to be alive. Everyday.
My Text: “Have a good day, Mikey”…
His Reply: “Ooooh ya Momma, every day is a good day, now-a-days” … Simple things like this, mean the world to me.
Yes, I am grateful. What a difference a year makes. Or 7 months. Or one day. I thank God that I still have my son. I thank God that my son is grateful to be alive… That he is loving life, even when things aren’t easy. It gives me confidence in his recovery.
My daily mantra is: Find Trust – Lose Fear.
Every day, I get a little better at both.
Thank YOU, Libby, and all… I have quietly been here for a very long time. Being ‘here’ has gotten me through some very tough times. Now I can breathe.
Susan
Dear Susan, how wonderful your son has been clean for 7 months. How elated you must be!
You thanked God that you still have your son. It doesn’t get any more grateful that.
Barbara
Dear Susan, I love the mantra, “Find Trust, Lose Fear.” We’ll join you in gratitude and prayers for Mikey. We’ll continue to believe.
Barbara, You’re right – life is precious and it doesn’t get any more grateful than that. You’ve suffered the greatest loss of all and suffered twice. Thanks for staying close to us all. Thanks for being here. You are wise.
Love you both.
L
Thank you both, Barbara and Libby…
Barbara, I AM elated and Libby I love this; “We’ll continue to believe”… I will choose to believe, despite the fragility of sobriety.
Out loud, it sounds naïve to say: “This time is different” – but it is. Every time is probably different. But, THIS time, it is REALLY different… And, I will continue to believe.
Today, during a long talk with my son, he told me “he is comfortable in his sobriety” … I believe him.
Today, my son found out that a friend of his, a friend in his clean and sober circle of friends, was found dead in his room, in the Oxford house where he lived. He was 24. Heart-breaking.
Barbara, even though I lost my kids father, as a result of addiction (his own first & then at the hands of someone else’s)… I can not imagine losing a son, and then a grandson. Heart-wrenching.
I am so very thankful, to have the opportunity, to believe.
Love,
Susan