Here in Maine, February means winter is about half over. The days start getting a little longer and spring starts to be a speck I can see in the near future.
For me, February is a month of complete surrender. It’s the month that I surrendered to a women’s half-way house (called Evodia House back in 1993) and accepted the fact that I am an alcoholic and desperately needed help to stop destroying my life.
I was very sick spiritually, medically and emotionally. Nourishment meant a lot of sleeping, taking my prescribed medication, eating regular meals and attending local 12-step meetings.
Eventually I started to feel better and was able to add to the list of things that nourished me. An additional 12-step program, a spiritual practice, gainful employment and time with my kiddos and friends.
Over the years, I’ve found new ways to nourish myself — exercise classes, yoga practice, kirtan, online learning. The list of what’s available is endless and changes from season to season.
I’m really up against my own will when it comes to making the decision of where to put my energy and what I allow into my life. Choosing something that feeds me and helps me be the best version of myself or choosing something that takes from me is usually my own decision. My struggle is what Kimble Greene talks about in her article this issue, “Feeding the Fear or Nourishing the Soul”. Am I justifying a bad decision under the guise of “I deserve it” or is it actually a good decision for the life I want to live?
David Lee’s article, “How to create a life eco-system” provides an opportunity to explore and question what we have and what we allow in our lives. He encourages us to define and create an environment that provides a rich soil in which we can grow.
At Journey, our desire is to build a culture that provides good soil for the magazine to flourish as we expand throughout the State.
March is our 1-year anniversary! Hard to believe it’s (already/only) been a year. For me, it’s been an amazing year of growth. From changing professions to speaking publicly about recovery — I’ve had Journey team members with me every step of the way. As each of them explores their own contributions to Journey and what it means for them personally and professionally, we all recognize that we are blessed to be able to do this work … together.
Together, we can get through our individual insecurities and step into new spaces. We’re on a mission to amplify hope and celebrate freedom from addiction … together.
Cultivating good soil so we can grow is a must! Our mission is too important to do otherwise.
Sober sister hugs,
Carolyn
