Sharing a little HOPE
 

So many times - we come here and hear the sad stories ~ the heartbreaking hard truths about this nasty disease -

Newcomers are looking for "success" stories - something to cling to - a chance that their loved one may be a "success" story ~ we usually respond with positive encouragement, sharing our journey, how the success we have discovered has been our own and that regardless of the current state of our loved ones recovery - we ourselves have become a "success" story.

We know that truly everyone is looking probably for the same thing we were looking for when we first came here - HOPE.

Many of you have watched me walk my path and I have shared my story many times - here, at conventions, and various places - we all know that not all of the family members that brought me to this web site are still a member of my family. . . .

BUT one still is - my beautiful daughter (step-daughter actually) Ashley.

You know some of her story, from my perspective - well my friends ~ This wonderful, beautiful, intelligent young woman will be sharing her story to my home group Al-Anon meeting this Wednesday nite as the guest speaker.

That my friend is the HOPE we are looking for ~ what an awesome gift of recovery and a blessing from a Higher Power.

I ask that you please keep her in your thoughts & prayers - she is a tad bit nervous - It will be Wed 8/25 @ 6 pm (cst).

And I of course am a little nervous for her too - probably because I know what it is like to have someone IN long-term recovery and then to lose them to the disease again - One of my biggest fears is that she will follow in her father's footsteps on that path ~ so stressful situations make me concerned for her. But recovery has given me the tools to Let Go and Let Her GOD handle her recovery . . .

Wednesday I will gladly sit in the room and listen to her story - knowing I will hear somethings that will probably be sad, funny, heartbreaking and HOPEFUL -

I pray for each of you that you all have the opportunity to experience the same thing with your loved one - somehow, someday, someway . . .

PINK HUGS,
Rita

If you look see a lady with bunny slippers sitting down the row...you'll know it's me cheering your daughter on. :D

How wonderful that she is speaking and sharing her light with those who need to hear what she has to say.

I think she gets all that good stuff from her mama. Thanks for being a shining example for her and an inspiration for us, Japic.

Hugs

Good luck to Ashley and mama as she tells her story. Its so great reading something positive here. My hats off to the both of you. Smiles, Bonnie

Rita...You are an AWESOME
Wonderful Inspiring Women
in my book.

Thank you for sharing your
Experiences, strengths
and hopes with me here
in SR.

God Bless You. :)

Rita...that is wonderful!..I am excited and happy for you 'both'..
what a joyful evening, even if a little nerve wracking!

My daughter was a guest speaker last Friday for the first time...she vibrated with nervousness but once she got up there and let her AA family, all there to support her, know how nervous she was, she was able to calm some and get through it, and she was thrilled with how well she managed when it was over..

ok, Wed. 8th/6pm ...got it...:) I will be there in spirit, cheering her, and you:) on with some prayers to light your way...:hug:

Thank you for sharing. I needed to have some hope today.
gentle hugs to you both

Thanks everyone for your love and support!!!

She will be pleased to know she has y'all cheering her on!!!

maybe I can get a photo of us & figure out how to change my profile pic as that!

PINK HUGS!

:cheer


IS THAT LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR???!! hehe

Rita, Hope is a beautiful thing. And even though someone on this site told me she had no hope for her own addict child, I chose to believe differently. It was a bit of a debate between the two of us. It sounds to me like Ashley is a success story. Alanon will be blessed to hear Ashleys story. And it's stories like this that keeps people like me coming back to this site for more hope and encouragement. My son now has 4 months into his sobriety from opiate drugs and cigarette addiction, and he is back to being himself. 4 months ago I was terrified, thinking my son would be a junkie, and possibly die from his addictions. I'm so glad I didn't give up hope. Even though it felt hopeless at times. When I went to Naranon and Alanon, I listened to a few stories myself, and it opened my eyes to many things. I've never met Ashley, but I am proud of her. It takes courage to stand up and share with so many others. Maybe her story will help some other struggling addict, or thier familes realize that there is alot of hope. GO ASHLEY GO!!!!!!!

Thank you for this. It IS a very hopeful message and I pray that someday each one of us can relate that story!!

I just happen to have one here in my SR album....:D

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/8185/applause2.gif

Ann, LOL LOL LOL You crack me up. Where do you find all of these clips and stuff? I always smile when I see and read some of your posts Ann. Thank You. :hug:

Oh I have lots of surprises in my little bag....that's me, third row back in the centere...the one with her head bobbing about.

That's Rita in the front, white dress.

Well I can't out everyone here, but you KNOW who you are :lmao

I'm the first one in from the right on the second row, the one who looks like she's having a seizure or something, jerking her head from side to side (a little left-over nervous tic from the drugs, lol). But I'm clapping, and smiling....

Love,
KJ

bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
:rotfxko

y'all crack me up !!!

Ann - love love love the picture!!!

but honey - let's be honest - ya know I would be in a PINK dress not white! It would match my PINK High Heel Shoes with the Princess Crowns!

(and yes my friends - I really do have a pair of shoes like that & I wear them as often as possible - shoes may be seen on my FB profile page!)

I love my SR Family!
Thanks so much for the love, encouragement & laughter!

PINK HUGS to all!

It's close to the time she will be speaking.

Please let us know how it goes....just in case we don't make it in person :D

What an uplifting thread this is, and you must be one proud mama today.

Hugs...and applause.

Thinking of you and your dear daughter this evening.

Gotahavfaith

Oh my wonderful friends - I felt each of you there in spirit!!!

She looked so beautiful! She did such an awesome job!!! She shared the truth, I know it was sometimes painful for her - she shared how hard it was to face the fact that she was an addict/alcoholic ~ that she had to let go of the fact that all her intelligence didn't help her stay sober (She is a very very smart young woman)

She shared how her children were affected and how she never wanted that to happen.

She shared about the time she & her 6 month old daughter were homeless and she wanted to come live with her dad & I ~ She said she remembered me telling her "I don't want to rob you of the opportunity to find your own dignity to find your own way"
She said "I could always respect Rita for that ~ it didn't make my life easy but somehow deep down inside I knew she wanted what was best for me - even when I didn't"

Wow - I remembered that day - when I told her that - because that is what I heard said at my f2f meeting and what I heard other share here at SR ~ don't rob the addicts of the opportunities to find their self-respect and dignity - it maybe the thing they need to help them on the road to recovery!

I remember telling her that - going to my f2f meeting that nite and weeping.
But I knew I couldn't bring that precious baby into my home ~ My ah (her dad) at the time had already relapsed, it was after Hurricane Rita - our home was in horrible shape - we were living in just a few rooms of the house, mold, mildew was setting in and life was unmanagable - it was no better than what she was already in.

So anyway - the meeting was wonderful - Again I thank you for the love and support!

Today is a beautiful grateful day!

I will not dwell on what happened - We have learned from me, we are healing from it and today we live in the moment!

PINK HUGS to all
Rita

Thank you for sharing that, Rita.

I'd bet money that it was harder doing what you did with her than all the cleaning up from Katrina, yes?

Glad today brings you better times and happier days to come.

Hugs

Thanks for sharing Rita. You must have been so proud...