Listen Linda

Adversity, misfortune, and challenges are profound teachers that often comfort us at our most vulnerable moments. It demands our attention in such ways that it is hard to ignore, while urging us to peel back layers of who we truly are, that we might be trying to avoid. When pain grips us—physically, emotionally, or mentally—it becomes an uncomfortable invitation to examine ourselves and our circumstances with raw honesty.

Recovery isn’t just about quitting addiction/alcoholism to escape our suffering. It’s Sacred. I personally feel it’s a sacred transformation. The process of Abstinence, Repair, and Growth mirrors the rebirth of a soul. Abstinence is a painful severing—because it is asking us to walk away from something that has been a part of us, even if it is toxic. That decision is laden with grief because it often feels like we’re asked to let go of comfort, even if that comfort has destroyed us.

Repair digs deeper into our wounds, asking us to confront the devastation we’ve caused—both to ourselves and to others. And it’s not just about apologies or quick fixes; it’s about pouring genuine effort into mending what’s broken, even if the pieces never quite fit the same way again. Initiating repair requires humility, acceptance and the courage to face rejection or resentment. It’s about creating the foundation to heal, even when the cracks remain visible.

And then finally, there is Growth. It kind of reminds me of the sunrise after the storm—the light that pours into the spaces once ruled by chaos. And it is a slow, deliberate unfolding of strength and resilience, where the scars we bear are badges of the survival of this sacred transformation. And growth isn’t simply getting ‘better’; it’s about authenticity. We’re shedding the skin of our former selves. And embracing new perspectives, and the integration of lessons that guide us to a life worth living.

No, recovery isn’t a straight path. It’s a labyrinth of chaos with struggles, doubts, fears, triumphs, and setbacks. But it still is a conscious lifestyle—a commitment of living with integrity, self-awareness, and purpose. The monkey on our backs represents the chaos and destruction we once clung to for dear life. By removing it, it’s not just freedom from substances, but it’s a reclamation of ourselves. A conscience over chaos—it’s not just a better deal; it’s a return to the humanity we almost lost.