I am a person living in recovery. I found recovery October 9th, 2016. It's daily, rent's due every day for it, so I gotta put the work in every day, but it's led me to places I never dreamt of. Getting everything back that I thought I would never have again.
I destroyed friendships, relationships with my family. I lost my kids. I lost my license, my dignity, like I lost and gave away everything. And I've put the work in to get it back, and now I'm like stable, and I never thought that would be.
I really thought I would die behind a building. Now I have a car, and a good job, and I can pay for my kids to go to sports. And I bought a house last year. Like things more than my wildest dreams.
And I wouldn't trade it in for anything because I've learned so much. I've met the most beautiful people. It's given me a different perspective on life. My husband had to carry me into the hospital, and...
I just remember not feeling safe still, judgmental eyes, not really being talked to, but talked at. And I already felt ashamed, like here I am, about to die from doing drugs, and I literally only wanna leave and do more. And it took me a long time to wrap my head around the insanity of that. When we're ready, that moment, we need that radical compassion, that cheering, and let's do it, let's get you into treatment somewhere, because that's the beginning of an amazing cycle when we can keep that up for someone.
Stephanie, a mother and homeowner who is 6 years in recovery, shares her experiences and achievements.
