My half brother from New York is visiting this week. He came to spend time with my parents, his father and step-mom, and the rest of our family. He’s 52 now. Moving in to hug him, I remembered the excitement of his arrivals throughout my childhood years, during summers and holidays; my super-cool, break-dancing, bleach Read More
Category: Alcohol Dependence
Fire, Water, Air
Last week, I spent my time taking in brilliant blue coastal views, inhaling woodsy fresh forest air, and climbing volcanic mountains to reach serene alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers. We set out in our faithful, functional RV not headed to Yellowstone as planned (due to flooding) but up the coast of Northern California, into the 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
Passing storms and silver linings
My firstborn graduated high school yesterday. In an actual ceremony, at their football stadium. The day held all the feels, though more subdued and distanced than usual. Instead of, we came, we saw, we conquered, it felt a bit more like, we persevered, we rode it out, we don’t want to look back. Nonetheless, it Read More
Goodbye to Drinking Island
It’s funny how the brain romanticizes things that no longer serve us. A glass of chilled Chardonnay, the ex-boyfriend, sharing a drag off a cigarette in the crisp fall air, the thrill of moving a pile of plastic chips across a green felt table. We could have said goodbye and made our peace weeks, months Read More
Sunday Meditation: Filling my Cup to Fill Yours
My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life. Psalm 23 NLT My daughter often comes home from school telling me about her bucket, and what fills it. What has come to be a popular elementary school theme, the bucket analogy is used to Read More
If You’re Drinking on the Daily, That’s Your Underlying Health Condition
I had a brief, socially distanced conversation with a friend the other day that I can’t stop thinking about. The conversation was great, blessed socialization, until the end. Her closing comment, delivered in her best one-liner voice, was, “Well, since you don’t drink, I’m drinking enough for the both of us these days…” Haha. The Read More
I Don’t Wear Labels
When I was in high school, I loved the clothing store The Limited. I spent hours with my friend, trying on sweaters and jeans. She was a shopoholic and had more money than me, so she often came away from our trips with bags stuffed full of the latest line. I remember one fall the Read More
Joy in the Dark
“Things are getting heavy…and yet, I think I see the light.” Me It’s raining on this Friday the 13th. This morning I went to the lab to have bloodwork done for my knee surgery next week. Outside, the clouds, heavy with condensation, mimicked the heaviness of my heart. Businesses are closing again in our area. Read More
Want to or Have to?: Willpower vs. Intrinsic Motivation
A decadent chocolate dessert. A generous pour of chilled Chardonnay. An enticing display of the new fall line in your favorite storefront. The aroma of your favorite cigarette. Stimuli designed to trip you up, yet again. We all have our bad habits. Our battles that we’ve spent far too long fighting. Yet, we feel like Read More