I cradled my black and red high heels in my hands and reminisced about the events that I had worn them to. I bought them 13 years ago to wear to the Alzheimer Society Gala at the Fort Gary Hotel and they remained my go-to formal footwear choice. After 13 years and countless events, they … Continue reading Second Annual Shameless Circle Fundraising Dinner
My mental health does not take a holiday over the Christmas season and in fact, it gets worse. My dad died in November when I was nine years old and even though that was many years ago, the experience was formative with how I view the Christmas season. I have a strong love hate relationship … Continue reading What the Season Means (or Does Not Mean) for Me
I joined Backcountry Women this morning for a hike around Birds Hill Park but I unfortunately needed to cut my participation short. With the temperature hovering around -28°C, my asthma acted up and I had a hard time controlling my breathing. After communicating with the group leader, I slowly made my way back to the … Continue reading To Feel Something
This time of the year is fucking hard for me. I'm just going to come right out and say that I dread this time of the year. I found myself in a Jollibee parking lot last night eating the skin of fried chicken. It was one of the lowest points of my existence during the … Continue reading Potential news headline, “Local woman smashes Jollibee statue with sledgehammer in Christmas rage”
I feel as if I am entering a new phase with my relationship with alcohol. In a sense, these past three (almost four) years have been about survival. The walls I put up had concertina wire surrounding the walls, protecting me and keeping the enemy out. You know the kind of wire I am talking … Continue reading My Relationship with Alcohol
I wrote this post earlier in the year on my phone while I was at the gym. For some reason today, I feel compelled to share this story. Depression was attempting to pull me in. A change of perspective is sometimes what I need. To be gentle with myself and not fight. To just let … Continue reading A Session at the Gym with Depression
While I was shaving my legs, which practically needed hedge clippers, I was rehearsing how I was going to answer the inevitable question that people ask when they meet someone for the first time, "so, what do you do?" I was shaving my overgrown leg hair and dressing up in a skirt and blouse to … Continue reading Owning my story
I have felt like crying and screaming the last few days. I've screamed but not cried. I tried to cry in the shower at the pool. A child's high-pitched whines while getting their hair washed distracted me and I forgot for a moment what I was doing. I turned the shower off and dried myself. … Continue reading Taking care of myself
At times I have felt like I am not sure where I fit in. A common topic in peer-support sobriety articles is about relationships and how the dynamics are affected. This has sometimes left me feeling in limbo. I am protective of my personal space and how I spend my time. The path towards and … Continue reading The Power of Change
There is something profound that happens when my mind is set free while wandering. The rustling of the leaves in the wind, the sound of the singing birds, and the movement of my body carries me to a spiritual place. It is a place where I feel a connection to something larger than myself. It's … Continue reading The Trail of Forgiveness
