TOPIC: I Take Pride In Being A Survivor. Do You?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
TOPIC: I Take Pride In Being A Survivor. Do You?
Like the topic title says, I take pride in being
a survivor. A survivor of what? My childhood
which was rough, tough, filled with abuse at
the hands of a sick parent. Survivor of school
bullies and completed high school with 2 yrs
perfect attendance. Survived 2 yrs college
while in the beginning stages of my addiction.
Survivor of quite a few jobs thru out my
yrs, my 1st marriage of 25 yrs. with 2 awesome
kids. Survivor of a horrible accident due to
drinking and driving spending 10 days in
the hospital under going several surgeries,
then healing very well.
Survivor of a suicide attempt because I
felt like a failure of being able to control
my alcohol addiction.
Survivor of a family intervention and
28 day rehab stay.
Survivor of moving to a new state and
leaving behind my recovery support
and family, familiarity of things around
me.
Survivor of this life. So many obstacles, challenges,
and then to say that i'm still here, alive, breathing,
sober, blessed and grateful.
As I get older in this life, I look back and
can honestly say that I do take pride in
being a survivor of so many things in
life that could have taken me out by now,
but thru recovery and faith, I am alive,
stronger, healthier than I ever have been.
After you have read this, can you share
with us here in SR if you take pride in how
you have lived your life thus so far and of
what as you are getting older?
Not a cocky pride but a humbling one.
a survivor. A survivor of what? My childhood
which was rough, tough, filled with abuse at
the hands of a sick parent. Survivor of school
bullies and completed high school with 2 yrs
perfect attendance. Survived 2 yrs college
while in the beginning stages of my addiction.
Survivor of quite a few jobs thru out my
yrs, my 1st marriage of 25 yrs. with 2 awesome
kids. Survivor of a horrible accident due to
drinking and driving spending 10 days in
the hospital under going several surgeries,
then healing very well.
Survivor of a suicide attempt because I
felt like a failure of being able to control
my alcohol addiction.
Survivor of a family intervention and
28 day rehab stay.
Survivor of moving to a new state and
leaving behind my recovery support
and family, familiarity of things around
me.
Survivor of this life. So many obstacles, challenges,
and then to say that i'm still here, alive, breathing,
sober, blessed and grateful.
As I get older in this life, I look back and
can honestly say that I do take pride in
being a survivor of so many things in
life that could have taken me out by now,
but thru recovery and faith, I am alive,
stronger, healthier than I ever have been.
After you have read this, can you share
with us here in SR if you take pride in how
you have lived your life thus so far and of
what as you are getting older?
Not a cocky pride but a humbling one.
Gratitude Gardener
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 278
I love this.
And you are definitely a survivor. Hell, yes <3
I am proud of being a survivor of being raised till I was 10 years old by a paranoid schizophrenic mother who was self medicating herself with alcohol into total homelessness and desperately heart-breaking ruin.
(later on, though, a happy ending. She is still just as crazy but she eventually stepped out of homelessness. And I love my mother.).
I am proud to be a survivor of her drunken driving on the wrong side of the FREEWAY, at 3AM, when I was 9 years old. I directed her home (god must have been speaking the directions through me, cause I I dont know HOW I did it). I survived that. We did.
I am proud to have survived the absolute TRAUMA of being torn away from her at 10, and taken to live in a new unfamiliar home.
I also survived the dysfunctional new home.
I am proud to be a survivor of agoraphobia, severe panic attacks, divorced alcoholic parents, and a mother's insanity and delusions.
I am proud to have survived the lonely and lost neglect that came part and parcel with all of that.
Proud to have survived dropping out of high school at 15 years old and all the heart-break and shame it caused me to do it. I will never forget attending, a few years later, the graduation of my class-mates who I had known since 1st grade. Balling my eyes out, So happy for them, and so sad to not be in one of those robes with them...and wondering what my path was going to be like, flying by the seat of my pants as I was, at just 18 years old.
I survived that.
I survived horrible break-ups with men that I once dearly loved. Intense Separation anxiety carried over from childhood.
I survived the confusion of attempting love with no models to show me the right and healthy ways.
Survived.
I survived and thrived, but was scared, when I moved to a big city by myself at 20 years old, without any good tools to live an adult life in any efficient manner. I learned as I went, and there were many mistakes, which cost a lot.
But I survived, and I learned.
I survived a lot, and at 43, I am very proud.
I am grateful for ALL OF IT.
I love who I am, and now more than ever, because of 5 days of sobriety and the new future that is opening up for me. I am walking the path, and it feels very good and very right.
Especially, because of YOU AMAZING HUMAN BEINGS HERE!
Thank you for this thread!
<3
And you are definitely a survivor. Hell, yes <3
I am proud of being a survivor of being raised till I was 10 years old by a paranoid schizophrenic mother who was self medicating herself with alcohol into total homelessness and desperately heart-breaking ruin.
(later on, though, a happy ending. She is still just as crazy but she eventually stepped out of homelessness. And I love my mother.).
I am proud to be a survivor of her drunken driving on the wrong side of the FREEWAY, at 3AM, when I was 9 years old. I directed her home (god must have been speaking the directions through me, cause I I dont know HOW I did it). I survived that. We did.
I am proud to have survived the absolute TRAUMA of being torn away from her at 10, and taken to live in a new unfamiliar home.
I also survived the dysfunctional new home.
I am proud to be a survivor of agoraphobia, severe panic attacks, divorced alcoholic parents, and a mother's insanity and delusions.
I am proud to have survived the lonely and lost neglect that came part and parcel with all of that.
Proud to have survived dropping out of high school at 15 years old and all the heart-break and shame it caused me to do it. I will never forget attending, a few years later, the graduation of my class-mates who I had known since 1st grade. Balling my eyes out, So happy for them, and so sad to not be in one of those robes with them...and wondering what my path was going to be like, flying by the seat of my pants as I was, at just 18 years old.
I survived that.
I survived horrible break-ups with men that I once dearly loved. Intense Separation anxiety carried over from childhood.
I survived the confusion of attempting love with no models to show me the right and healthy ways.
Survived.
I survived and thrived, but was scared, when I moved to a big city by myself at 20 years old, without any good tools to live an adult life in any efficient manner. I learned as I went, and there were many mistakes, which cost a lot.
But I survived, and I learned.
I survived a lot, and at 43, I am very proud.
I am grateful for ALL OF IT.
I love who I am, and now more than ever, because of 5 days of sobriety and the new future that is opening up for me. I am walking the path, and it feels very good and very right.
Especially, because of YOU AMAZING HUMAN BEINGS HERE!
Thank you for this thread!
<3
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,476
Sharon, you are an inspiration to me and I know for sure, you are a survivor. I also know you are a dear friend.
My brother died from alcoholism last year. I lived across the country from him and my dad. As alcoholics do, he isolated himself, so I knew very little. But, I was shocked when he made no attempt whatsoever to help himself with his addiction.
It turned out his death was only the tip of the iceberg. I learned that my brother and nephew had abused my Dad, mentally, and stole a lot of money from him. I believe that my nephew stabbed my dad during an argument. Again, I had no idea this was happening at the time. The information came to me after my brother's death.
At my brother's funeral, someone very close to me shook his head at me and said 'You didn't stand a chance, did you' and walked away. I was furious. Didn't he see I was still standing, I was still a warrior. I was a survivor. I am still standing. I am a survivor. I am a warrior.
My brother died from alcoholism last year. I lived across the country from him and my dad. As alcoholics do, he isolated himself, so I knew very little. But, I was shocked when he made no attempt whatsoever to help himself with his addiction.
It turned out his death was only the tip of the iceberg. I learned that my brother and nephew had abused my Dad, mentally, and stole a lot of money from him. I believe that my nephew stabbed my dad during an argument. Again, I had no idea this was happening at the time. The information came to me after my brother's death.
At my brother's funeral, someone very close to me shook his head at me and said 'You didn't stand a chance, did you' and walked away. I was furious. Didn't he see I was still standing, I was still a warrior. I was a survivor. I am still standing. I am a survivor. I am a warrior.
Gratitude Gardener
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 278
Yes:
At my brother's funeral, someone very close to me shook his head at me and said 'You didn't stand a chance, did you' and walked away. I was furious. Didn't he see I was still standing, I was still a warrior. I was a survivor. I am still standing. I am a survivor. I am a warrior.
And we also survived intense judgment of others looking down their noses at us. They didnt understand how strong we were (we didnt even know how strong we were, and would still need to be). And that intense judgment didnt make our path ANY easier... But by God, we survived that too <3 YOU DID.
At my brother's funeral, someone very close to me shook his head at me and said 'You didn't stand a chance, did you' and walked away. I was furious. Didn't he see I was still standing, I was still a warrior. I was a survivor. I am still standing. I am a survivor. I am a warrior.
And we also survived intense judgment of others looking down their noses at us. They didnt understand how strong we were (we didnt even know how strong we were, and would still need to be). And that intense judgment didnt make our path ANY easier... But by God, we survived that too <3 YOU DID.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,549
Thank you for this great thread aasharon I can relate to so much and yes, I am proud that I have survived. It may not seem that way at the moment but I HAVE SURVIVED. And it can only get better.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
Thank you guys, each and everyone of you
who took a moment to share your thoughts
with us.
Remember that it's the journey that each
of us are living and experiencing that makes
us who we are today. If we all can stand strong
against the evils of the world we face each
day then that makes us stronger, healthier,
wiser and a true survivor to be proud of.
who took a moment to share your thoughts
with us.
Remember that it's the journey that each
of us are living and experiencing that makes
us who we are today. If we all can stand strong
against the evils of the world we face each
day then that makes us stronger, healthier,
wiser and a true survivor to be proud of.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
We do have to go thru the process of addressing
pass and present issues within our own lives, things
that we don't want to address because they cause
us so much emotional pain that we keep stuffing
down inside us, numbing them with drugs, alcohol,
prescription meds, many that are toxic, poisonous,
and harmful to our minds and bodies.
Having someone to help us learn how to
face these issues head on and work pass
the pain and memories that keep us so
sick for so long, is important, so we can
all move forward and leave the victim
we once were and emerge into the best,
healthiest person and survivor we want
to become.
Each one of us who are healing in the
process from addiction, abuse, struggles,
are hero's, not losers, in my book.
Don't ever stop striving to be the
best person you are meant to be
not only to yourself but for those
around us too.
pass and present issues within our own lives, things
that we don't want to address because they cause
us so much emotional pain that we keep stuffing
down inside us, numbing them with drugs, alcohol,
prescription meds, many that are toxic, poisonous,
and harmful to our minds and bodies.
Having someone to help us learn how to
face these issues head on and work pass
the pain and memories that keep us so
sick for so long, is important, so we can
all move forward and leave the victim
we once were and emerge into the best,
healthiest person and survivor we want
to become.
Each one of us who are healing in the
process from addiction, abuse, struggles,
are hero's, not losers, in my book.
Don't ever stop striving to be the
best person you are meant to be
not only to yourself but for those
around us too.
Mini Novel Post Writer
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
Love your inspiring posts and sharing this program with you.
I read through your post and realized that there was a time I thought I was a survivor. AA helped me to understand that I was not, and how to truly be one!
I read through your post and realized that there was a time I thought I was a survivor. AA helped me to understand that I was not, and how to truly be one!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
We have many amazing, strong members,
friends, folks here in SR that by sharing
their wisdom, your struggles in the past,
not to rehash old thoughts to cause emotional
pain or discomfort, but experiences that
once held you down, and now you have
worked thru them, coming out stronger
on the other side, can absolutely help many
who are struggling today that are using drugs or
alcohol, fighting thru anxiety or depression,
can give them hope that thru many programs
available to us today they can over come any
obstacle and give them hope that if we who
have been there and done same similar situations
and learned how to survive them, then they
can too.
Never hesitate to ask for what you need
and for you don't understand and you'll
be amazingly surprised at the out pouring
of help waiting to guide you and suggestions
to point you in the right direction to achieve
happiness, inner strength and a strong sobriety
foundation to live your life upon each day.
friends, folks here in SR that by sharing
their wisdom, your struggles in the past,
not to rehash old thoughts to cause emotional
pain or discomfort, but experiences that
once held you down, and now you have
worked thru them, coming out stronger
on the other side, can absolutely help many
who are struggling today that are using drugs or
alcohol, fighting thru anxiety or depression,
can give them hope that thru many programs
available to us today they can over come any
obstacle and give them hope that if we who
have been there and done same similar situations
and learned how to survive them, then they
can too.
Never hesitate to ask for what you need
and for you don't understand and you'll
be amazingly surprised at the out pouring
of help waiting to guide you and suggestions
to point you in the right direction to achieve
happiness, inner strength and a strong sobriety
foundation to live your life upon each day.
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