Addiction stole years from me
but recovery gave me something more valuable
The future I thought I didn’t deserve.
If you’re still breathing, your story isn’t done yet.
Recovery is grief.
You mourn the chaos that almost killed you.
You miss the numbness, the false comfort.
But one day, peace feels less foreign than pain
and that’s how you know you’re free.
Someone is dying to be your age.
Someone is dreaming of living your worst day.
Someone is wishing they had your apartment.
Someone is hoping they could have your health.
Someone is working to get to where you are.
Don’t forget that yesterday you asked for what you have today.
You don’t heal by forgetting who you were in active addiction.
You heal by finally forgiving that version of you for doing whatever it took to stay alive.
More than 20 veterans die by suicide each day. They may have physically left the battlefield, but mentally, they are still there. They deserve much better than a fate such as this. It is a war we all need to help them fight.
Addiction didn’t just take my life it took my family’s peace. Recovery is my apology, my fight, my redemption. Don’t judge us by our worst days. We’re human, not hopeless.
When I was in the throws of my addiction- unemployed, unemployable, homeless, alone..... I never once thought I could have a different or better life..... I only thought about the next High.
Clean and sober 12/15/14