01/01/2024
Happy new year to you all! Can’t wait to have these guys on our podcast! We feel the same way, only our journey is brand brand new! Here’s to positivity and strength!
A new year is about to be rung in and sometimes I can’t believe my husband is over 5 years in recovery now.
He used and abused since he was 14 years old- for over 22 years. I never believed we could be where we are today (and neither did he), because we truly believed our marriage was over. Not to mention, separately we felt as if we lost ourselves.
We are now the happiest we’ve ever been together, and most importantly- individually. We’ve also been blessed along the way with our Maria Reis.
Of course there’s a whole story before and in between… and still yet to come.
As this new year begins, it’s also crazy to reflect upon that we started We Are Recovery over four and half years ago to share our journey from both sides. The addict’s in recovery and the family’s. We did this in hopes to let people know, they’re not alone. As well as to hopefully bridge the gap between the two perspectives to find understanding.
To me, addiction is darkness. It doesn’t matter if you’re the addict or the family; life slowly feels like it’s becoming darker. Over time, we can’t see anyone else and we truly begin to believe we are alone- that no will understand our pain.
As I felt alone in the darkness, I started to see a light… This light was created by my extraordinary support system. Their vulnerability and knowledge created lights along the way for me to see my way out.
Now, even though I could see my way through the darkness- thanks to my support; it was and still will always be my choice to face the fears and choose to take one step at a time to find my way home… which is to me.
Being vulnerable is terrifying at times. Let’s be honest, most of the time. But through healing and growth, Mitchell and I slowly realized, the way we both overcame the darkness is by sharing our story of struggle, fears, and hope- by being vulnerable.
That is why my husband and I decided to share our story. Staying silent in my mind just allows the darkness to grow, but sharing our story creates a light in the darkness. And if it helps even just one person, then it will ALWAYS be worth it.
But we can’t do this alone, we do this together- all of us. Each one of us that shares even a bit of what we’re going through creates a light - a spark that illuminates our own path, but also brightens the way for another.
Think of standing in the middle of the woods with no moon light. It’s just darkness and slowly our fears start to consume us... The belief of no way out- feeling “stuck”. How do we find our way home? Hopelessness, sadness, pain, and aloneness take over.
But then all of a sudden… one single candle is lit. 🕯
We find our breath…. A spark of hope is created within us.
Then hundreds of candles begin to ignite. Tears may begin to well in our eyes… not because we are scared, but because now we see- we aren’t alone. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚. Each candle is someone being vulnerable. Together, we finally see a way out, because the light has overcome the darkness.
This is how we defeat addiction on both sides. Not by staying silent, but by facing our fears and expressing our struggles, our pains, and our hope. Each time one of us does…. A candle lights 🕯.
I wanted to share what We Are Recovery means today, because I wanted people to know - there is hope of recovery. Not just for our loved one suffering from addiction, but for us too- the family.
I promise healing, growth, and recovery is possible. We just need a moment of courage to light that first candle. And through that, we help one another find our way home- to ourselves.
May this new year be filled with healing, change, growth, and light.
You all are so extremely important to us. Thank you for always supporting not only Mitchell, Maria Reis, and I; but also the countless others on this page and beyond. 💙
Keep lighting your candles and passing on the spark of vulnerability and knowledge.
You are loved. You are worth it.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲. ♾️
