Information for Our Alumnae:
Living My Life in Recovery - One Day at a Time
I finally surrendered my life to God, and the promises are coming true, one day at a time!
I came to the Res on April 13, 2007, and from the minute I walked in those doors, I knew my “Gig” was up. I knew that if I didn’t ask for help, I might not be back. I would lose everything that meant so much to me: my girls, my husband, my parents, my in-laws and, most of all, my dignity and self-esteem (what I had left of it).
So while I was in Res XII, I began to let go of my fears, and my need to control everything in my life. I obviously couldn’t control things, look where my attempts got me! I graduated from the Res, got a sponsor right away and went to a lot of meetings. I didn’t like them at first, then got used to them and actually started looking forward to them! I made a lot of new friends and still carry their numbers in my wallet!
I joined the Alumnae group at the Res and it has really played an important part in my recovery. I look forward to seeing these women every 3rd Saturday, laughing and planning and just plain old having fun chatting together! I’m staying connected and accountable for things in my life now.
I have a wonderful job in downtown Seattle I got when I opened up in a meeting and was approached by a gentleman who told me he would love to have me work for him at his firm. I now show up for work every day, I’m accountable for the work I do and I don’t live in fear of the unknown, fear of what I did (or didn’t do) and worrying about things that I had said that offended people. I can hold my head up high and I have confidence now that I’ve never had before.
My joys in life now are my teen daughters and “staying connected” with them. They are truly wonderful girls and my husband and I feel so blessed. We just celebrated 20 years of marriage and I am grateful I had the opportunity to stay clean over the last 17 months and live in the moment with him each and every day. He truly is my “Best Friend”.
My other joy in life is singing! I feel like this is total therapy for me. At church, I sing in the choir and perform solos. I’ve also performed at weddings. I look at singing in such a different way now— I feel so much more connected with my spiritual side when I sing. It’s a gift I’ve been given and I truly appreciate it. My girls sing with me, and one plays violin and the other cello. The oldest will soon be off to music college.
All in all, I get to wake up every day now feeling excited to just feel good again. My life has gotten better and better in the past 17 months and I know as long as I humble myself to my disease each and every day, life can only get better!
I am so passionate about the Res and all the tools they have given me, but also for the compassion they showed me and the loving and caring environment they had waiting for me.
Recovery to me means living each day in the moment, and treasuring every person you have in your life!
Michelle, Residence XII Alumna