I have been free from the grips of alcohol since October 10, 2018. At one point in my life, I only drank alcohol on special occasions. I didn’t even like the taste of alcohol.
I grew up in Chicago’s Humboldt Park area, a drug and gang ridden neighborhood. I’m the oldest of 3 and only my mother was present growing up.
By the time I met the man I would fall in love with; I felt like I was a strong independent woman who was financially stable with grown children who lived on their own and he was really digging the woman that I was. He did not do drugs therefore I stopped, but I couldn’t stop drinking. I didn’t really see it as a full-blown problem because I was still having fun and enjoying my life and relationship. My boyfriend bartended during the evenings, and I would go out and treat myself to dinner and some drinks. It soon became just drinks and then bar hoping, and sometimes this led to some promiscuousness.
I thrived in this safe structured environment. I was serious about getting my life back. I missed my daughters badly and I wanted them to be proud of their mother. I did everything Fellowship asked of me. I got a job, I got a sponsor, I went to meetings, I journaled, I did service work, I keep my side of the street clean!
I did my best to work a 12-step program. I practiced on changing my old behaviors. After about a year and a half of continued sobriety, it was time to leave my safe haven at Fellowship and face my fears. I moved out on my own and started taking care of my responsibilities as a sober member of society. I was doing great at my job. I got my family back, the great boyfriend that never gave up on me and awesome new friends.
I am not a victim, and I am responsible for my actions. I try hard to remember not to blame others for how I feel or my situation. I try hard to practice the principles of this program to the best of my ability because I see the progress and I’m excited about continuing to grow spiritually. I am more responsible now for what I put out into the world. My daughters admire me, and my granddaughters call me and want to spend time with me.
During the start of the Covid pandemic, I was blessed to be able to work from home. During that time, of lock down…I was able to focus more on myself. I had been wanting to start my own business. My daughters were very supportive and would offer encouraging words and ideas. In March 2021, I ran with one of those ideas. With full support from my family, I educated myself while at home, opened my own business working from home, quit my job and was able to replace my income all within a couple of months. I now live with my supportive boyfriend of 10 years and have been able to travel with my laptop by my side.
I just visited my daughter and granddaughters in Georgia for a week or so and was able to participate in throwing a surprise birthday party for my mother’s 70th birthday in Chicago. Matter of fact, I’m still hanging out with her as I write this, since I can work from my laptop.
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