Women for Sobriety, Inc. "I promise to care about my life...." ҉       From “A Year of Reflections”, VOLUME 12 Promises The excitement and adventure of a new life promises each of us a challenging life’s journey.  Remember those hopeless days, filled with remorse and guilt, when nothing was able to rouse us from that fear and apathy?  Today I promise myself I will value my sobriety, my life, and promise of my life’s dreams. “Reflections for Growth” Jean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D. *      *      *      *      *      *         I remember when I broke promises to myself and to others.  You see, I was sick.  I was so sick that I didn’t even know I couldn’t keep those promises I made.  The person I was hurting, and letting down the most, was myself.  I spent many mornings berating myself for being so weak-natured and self-indulgent.  I thought if I was hard enough on myself, I would just quit because it made sense, because it was the right thing to do.  I was a little more hard-headed than that.  I started off the day with, “I am NOT drinking today!” only to drink that very afternoon.  I opted to go to treatment and give myself a “real” chance at sobriety.  There I was safe and in an environment that essentially protected me from myself.         I knew that the time had come to make a real commitment to sobriety.  It meant a half-hearted, frightened promise of abstinence.  As the days accumulated, I began to see where my strength, resolve, and promise lied, within my own heart and mind.  WFS had already begun to work its wisdom in my thoughts.  The idea that I was responsible for myself, for my disease, for the promises I would make to myself, wrapped itself around my brain.         “I, Littlelamb, do solemnly promise to love my self.  I promise to care about my life and the lives of those I touch.  I promise to live out loud, without fear.  I promise to smile and laugh.  I promise to bring joy into the lives of others whenever possible.  I promise to forgive myself.  I promise to hold the broken in the palm of my hand with tenderness and to show myself the same tenderness.  I promise to not look back in shame, but ahead in hope.  I promise to not pick up the first drink, no matter what is going on in my life.”  Love, Julie “Littlelamb”  [September, 2010] *      *      *      *      *      * Your support to WFS is always appreciated and greatly needed! Please find it in your heart to add WFS to your gift-giving list. Thank you! http://www.wfscatalog.org/Donations_c16.htm *      *      *      *      *      *

Email:  contact@womenforsobriety.org   *   Tel: 215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026

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