The Glass Castle by Jannette Walls Page Length: 288 pages Publisher/Publication Date: Scribner, 2006 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars In the opening scene of Jeannette Walls,’ The Glass Castle, we are invited into an NYC taxi cab with Jeannette on her way to an important business dinner. As we are stuck in traffic, our gaze Read More
Tag: addiction
When Habit becomes Addiction
One of the inevitable side effects of coming through the other side of a traumatic experience or chronic condition is that you tend to rehash and try to make sense of it all. Was I that bad? Did I almost die? Am I lucky to be alive? How much time was wasted by this horrible Read More
Owning our Story
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do. We own our stories so we don’t spend our lives being defined by them or denying them. And while the journey is long and difficult at times, it is the path to living a more wholehearted life.” Brené Brown 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
Sobriety: Land of the Free, Life of the Brave
We spent my birthday, also the Fourth of July, at the beach. I grew up near the beach but now live about 2.5 hours away, so there are times I only visit the ocean once a year or so. Each time, I am transported to my happy place; a full sensory experience. The waves are Read More
Ordinary Miracle
We found our wedding song at the end of the movie, Charlotte’s Web. It’s called “Ordinary Miracle,” and the incomparable Sarah McLachlan sings it. Here are the lyrics: It’s not that unusualWhen everything is beautifulIt’s just another ordinary miracle today The sky knows when it’s time to snowDon’t need to teach a seed to growIt’s Read More
For Everything There is a Season
Anyone who has spent a large portion of their life stuck in addiction undergoes a major transformation once they break free. A course correction. A process of reassessing life and how it should be lived. An embracing of their true self; and of possibility. But it’s not clean-cut and tidy. There are pieces to pick Read More
Two Years of Sobriety: It is what it is
I’m glad I didn’t have any expectations around my second soberversary because it looks like it will be a party of one. COVID life is a great teacher of harboring no expectations. And while most people mark March 13 as the day the world shut down, I mark it as another year sober. This day Read More
Holding on to Hope
I’m writing this post to anyone who struggles with substance abuse or has a loved one who struggles, which is most of us. I’m writing from a place of shock and guilt, grief and some anger too. Someone close to me, exactly who I won’t disclose at this point, is in the hospital, fighting for Read More
When We Know Better, We Do Better
In my previous post, I wrote that we are doing the best we can. That observation, put into words by Maya Angelou is important, but so is her follow-up: When we know better, we do better. “But why,” I found myself thinking. I wrote that post because I am delving into the work of Dr. Read More