You don’t have the power to stop someone from drinking… You don’t have the power to cause someone to drink. How many times have I heard that sentiment in a 12-step room? Too many to count. How many times has my unconscious mind tried to deceivingly grasp onto power by using the ‘for the good […]
Do you ever think that you’re pretty solid in your recovery, only to wake up to an overwhelming feeling of frustration and dissatisfaction? That was my experience these last few weeks. Except this time, I knew that the problem was all me –cue Taylor Swift.. “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s meAt tea time, […]
I am a decent cook. I used to be a good cook. Cooking has taught me many things. Growing up in the 70’s & 80’s, I ate my fair share of casseroles. Back then, I was not a fan. There were too many things mixed together. I wanted food that I could identify. My mother […]
A few years ago, I became aware of a parish who’d lost a high school student to overdose. While talking to parents in the area, I learned that this was the third death in a six-month period of time in their Catholic high school due to the effects of drugs and alcohol. I decided to […]
I used to watch the reality television program, “19 Kids and Counting.” Could you really disconnect from society and be as happy and successful as they appeared to be? Could you develop a system of rules that would keep everyone in line and insure success in the family? Well, it would certainly be nice if […]
My sisters came to my house a few weeks back to make strawberry jam. There are three of us. My oldest sister, Jane is 11 years older than me. My sister Joy is 8 years older than me. It wasn’t until we were adults that they felt less like second-mothers and more like sisters. I […]
“I trust in God,” I used to say without much thought. Or, “At least I have my faith.” But what do those things mean? Do I really mean it? What do they mean to you? Have you ever thought about faith? What is the difference between faith and trust? I’m doing the spiritual exercises in […]
I saw this phrase when I was scrolling Instagram yesterday. I liked it so much I shared it on my stories. It resonated with a lot of people there. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, I created my own slide using it. I think it is an iteration of the 12-step phrase, ‘If you […]
My dad used to get angry if he thought that one of us kids was being lazy. His anger was over the top. Over the last 13 years I started to understand that as the child of an alcoholic, he had conflated laziness with alcoholism. Since his father’s disease kept him from working, my dad […]
I climbed into my bed, between fresh flannel sheets and turned on the television. I was seeking refuge from the biting cold and the busyness of the Christmas season. I looked through the guide hoping for anything but a Christmas movie. For the last 6 years, I’ve worked a seasonal job at the mall. I […]