“You ever hear a song that just knows your story?

My nephew Josh did. For him, it was Jelly Roll, a rapper who turned his life around in prison because he found out he had a child. For Josh, those songs were not just music. They were his lifeline.

But years ago, I lost him to addiction.

Eleven rehabs. Thirty-two days of calls filled with depression and pain.

And then… silence.”

Addiction

“Addiction does not just kill the person; it scars the family.

I was not addicted to hard drugs, but I struggled with alcohol, food, pills, things I leaned on instead of healing.

It took Josh’s death, and other losses in my family, to wake me up.

I remember the first time I started to feel again. The birds were singing, and instead of wanting to shut them up, I smiled. I stepped outside and felt the freezing air on my skin. I have a painful nerve disease, so it burned, but I was grateful for the pain.

I was alive. I could feel.

I saw a hawk gliding across the winter sky. I heard my grandkids laughing, causing their little kind of chaos, and I thought:

‘I don’t want to miss this anymore.’

That was my turning point.”

Turning Point

“So, I got sober. And in just 2 months, God willing, I will celebrate 4 years free from alcohol.

Now, let us be real, the early days of sobriety were not pretty. I shook. I cried. I doubted myself. Some days, I did not believe I could do it. But here is what I learned: you do not have to do it all at once. You just must do it one day at a time.

I go to AA. I study Big Book. I attend Bible study. I learned to listen, not just to what hurts, but to what heals.

When my body aches, I rest. When my mind feels like it is being squeezed, I slow down.

I don’t chase perfection anymore. I chase peace.

And every single day, I thank God for giving me another chance to show up.

Sobriety gave me more than freedom from alcohol; it gave me purpose. Today, I am a CCAR-certified Recovery Coach.

Now, if you do not know what that means, let me tell you: it means I get to walk beside people on their recovery journey. I am not there to fix them, or lecture them, or tell them what to do. I am there to say: I have been where you are, and you do not have to do this alone.

The first time I sat with someone as a coach, I realized something powerful: sobriety does not just save my life, it allows me to help save others. That is the gift of recovery. It multiplies.”

Together

“Let us do a quick check: how many of you are grateful to be sober and alive today?

See? We are in this together.

And I know some of you are still struggling, still hurting, still doubting if you can make it. Let me tell you this: If I can stand here today, after loss, after pain, after 3 years of sobriety, then so can you.

Every single person here has scars. But do you know what? Scars prove you survived. They prove you are still here. They prove healing is possible.”

Keep Going

“If you are struggling, I want you to hear me clearly:

You Matter.

Tomorrow Needs You.

I Need You.

Josh did not get the ending he deserved. But you can.

You are not alone. And if you are, I will stand with you until you are not.

Every sober day is a victory. Say that with me, EVERY SOBER DAY IS A VICTORY. Every sober day is a victory!

Every deep breath instead of a drink or drug is courage.

Every time you show up for yourself, you break the chains a little more.

I do not write here as someone better, I write here as someone walking the same path, one day at a time. We cannot change the past, but we can choose today. And today, we choose hope. We choose freedom. We choose life.

So, let us keep showing up. Let us keep choosing to live. Let us keep proving that recovery is not only possible, but also powerful.

Before I go, I want to leave you with this:

Recovery is worth it. YOU are worth it. Say it with me, Recovery is worth it! You are worth it!

Thank you for letting me share.”

If you are looking for help for your addictions please reach out

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline

Home

I am just a an aunt, who tried so hard to bring her nephew to as many rehabs as she could to get him the help he wanted.

I only share my experience so please reach out for professional help if you need it. There is help, all we need to do is ask for it!

Until next time…
Keep fighting. Keep healing. Keep choosing hope.
Recovery is worth it.
Tammy Rose