Why I Write…

Life has taught me that our time on this earth can be over in an instant. We can spend it running from the unavoidable pains we all experience or give way to distant memories and live each day grateful in the present moment. I ran from pain for so long I forgot it was even there. But addiction erases pain until it doesn’t anymore. Then it can get really ugly. Finally in recovery, I learned to find comfort through writing and that has made quite the difference.

But I don’t write as the face of who most think of when they think of an addict. I have never tried heroin and I am not addicted to pain meds. I am not homeless nor have I been jailed for my behavior while under the influence. These are all real problems to so many in our society and increasing awareness is so important for I know way too many who have lost their fights with these battles.

But I write as a typical American woman in modern day society who once seemed “normal” to the outside world. A college educated wife and mother who lived in a friendly community balancing a career and play dates until I no longer could…the one who slowly fell through the cracks and got stuck in the curse of addiction.

This didn’t happen overnight, and I while I have yet to meet too many others as of yet, I am thinking I am not the only one whose been down this path of unintended self-destruction.

So in a hopeful way of giving back, it is for the ones who see themselves in my story that I write.

I am free today because of the miraculous truth of God’s undying love that I will never deserve but always receive. So I write out of His love that comes from my heart because that is what we are meant to do.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be FREE. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather serve one another humbly in LOVE.” Gal 5:13

To love and be loved. That is our reason for being.