The month of December always feels like a marathon with the day after Christmas being recovery. Husband watching football, daughter playing contentedly with her new array of toys and crafts. I am feeling the stirrings of not resolutions, but intentions. I’ve spent the last few months coasting and I want to climb back into the Read More
Author: gr8ful_collette
One of Billions, Each Essential to the Whole
Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he? Clarence, It’s a Wonderful Life The end of another year is approaching. Another difficult, prickly year. A year filled with 365 days of occupying space, interacting and isolating, disagreeing and desperately trying to connect. Slogging through Read More
Choosing me 1,000 times
This morning I woke up sober for the 1,000th consecutive time. For some reason, it finally feels like a lot. Given that it took me so many starts and stops, I’ve never made it to quadruple digits and it feels like an achievement. I’m reading the lovely Catherine Gray’s Sunshine Warm Sober, and totally relate Read More
Sunnier skies
Last night, my husband told me about a coworker who is having trouble at home. He and his wife are arguing frequently and it’s taking a toll on their marriage. My husband asked if alcohol was part of the equation and he admitted that it is a nightly thing for them. He then suggested that Read More
Choosing Better Rhodes
In my last post, I wrote about how being sober can make one feel like the odd one out in social settings. Today, I want to share why it doesn’t have to feel that way. My family spent Thanksgiving at my sister’s house and while I arrived with some apprehension about family dynamics, politics and Read More
Odd Woman Out
Yesterday, our school staff had a catered lunch to celebrate one of our co-worker’s 60th birthday. She was just returning from major surgery and mentioned that she can’t do drugs (pain medication) but “gin and tonics helped.” (Many laughs and nods). The conversation that played out among the group had no fewer than half a Read More
I Surrender…
The word “surrender” connotes weakness in our culture. We tend to think of it as giving up. Waving the white flag, and therefore, losing. But what if what we have to lose is what’s been doing us harm? What if what we are holding on to, or fighting for, is our destruction in disguise? What Read More
A New Low
Across the state of California, enrollment is down 6% for the 2021-22 school year, or 160,000 students, according to the California Department of Education. And data from School Innovations and Achievement, a company that offers software and services to schools aimed at improving attendance, shows that chronic absence rates increased by 39% from March 2020 Read More
Sometimes, It’s Nothing
Do you know what I did today? Nothing. To some that may sound boring or unambitious. But for me, it was self-care, and surprisingly satisfying. Life has returned to its busy bustle, and I’m going to take a page from the pandemic playbook and incorporate days of nothing when I can. My week includes working, Read More
More Firsts
My middle son is going to his first Homecoming dance this weekend. I have so enjoyed witnessing the nervousness of the big ask (complete with a handmade sign and candy), the thoroughness of the wardrobe coordination, and the weightlessness of floating through the week with a big first waiting at the end. My oldest is Read More