Chipping away at the stigma of addiction is near and dear to my heart but it wasn’t until I was asked to speak on the topic of engaging families and parishes into recovery where I gave any thought as to how or where to start dealing with such a big job. The stigma surrounding addiction, […]
Tomorrow marks the beginning of Advent. This year I want to enter into this practice with great intention. I realize that our programs of recovery teaches us many of the same things that we learn during Advent. I’d like to invite you to join me. Recovery is really all about relationships: to God first, self […]
My husband’s heart went into atrial fibrillation last week, so we spent twenty-four hours in the hospital to treat his problem. His nurse during the last few hours there, told us that even though she had become a nurse late in life, she still had one last dream to pursue: being a writer. “Oh wow, […]
In my first twelve-step meeting, everyone kept telling me that addiction is a family disease. I had no idea what they meant. Eight years later, as I sat in another meeting that I had volunteered to chair, several people arrived that I did not know from our usual group. That either means that they are a […]
The last couple of posts were about steps one and two. Step one reminds me that I am powerless over many things but most especially over the addictions of others. I must firmly accept that powerlessness before I can consider reaching for help outside of myself. Step two stresses the need for me to grow […]
This morning as I sat in mass, I noticed four sets of parents that I recognized because their kids had gone to school with our kids. I knew one couple because their son and our oldest son had gone to kindergarten together. It gave me a warm feeling seeing those parents sitting in front […]