“Parenthood remains the greatest single preserve of the amateur.” Alvin Toffler My daughter is everything to me. Smudge is now ten years old. Being her father has brought meaning to my life. Parenthood is a certain role in an uncertain universe. One of the most wonderful things about my recovery is the transformation of

  Choose freedom. How did I come to that? Why did I choose that as a name for a blog? As a title for what the thoughts are that go through my mind. It’s because a moment of freedom creates so much clarity, confidence & inspiration inside ourselves. This isn’t meant to be professional. Honestly,

In Rosemary O’Connor’s chapter called “Joy and Laughter”, she talks about the lack of those things while in the midst of the disease, and how she found them again in recovery. Rosemary talks about a number of instances that reminded her of the power of laughter and joy in everyday life. One of the places

It is my one-year wedding anniversary. Somehow I managed to not only piece myself together and stay sober, but I managed to be an equal to another human being. Another person who accepted my faults, my flaws, and stood with me on this journey. It’s amazing, amazing how Chris stuck with me during my mess.

    Damien Wade is the owner of a holistic health, educational, performance & rehabilitation center, called Health 3.0 and setup in 2011. “My journey started when my mother was diagnosed with cancer back in 2006. I was brought on an educational roller coaster to find answers about the cause of her disease, a search

Deep down inside of me, right down the hallway from where I keep my skeletons in the closet, was an old not so well lit room. It had no windows, wreaked of stale beer and cigarette smoke and was probably one of the most inhospitable of places you can find if you ask me. I

I will never forget the first time I heard the phrase Surrender to Win. It was shared at one of the 12 step meetings I attended in early recovery. It’s a very powerful statement….but what does it mean? I give up? I’m a loser? My life is just over? I am a failure? Instead of

  “Don’t die with the music still in you.” – Rosemary O’Connor In this chapter of O’Connor’s self-help book, Rosemary examines the concept of living life in recovery. We don’t get clean or sober to live in a bubble or to just stay frozen in time. While in our addiction, we never thought about the

  I’m so honored to have had the opportunity to interview Jennifer Matesa for The Cafe’s first ever podcast. We talk about her upcoming book which tackles sexuality and sexual empowerment in recovery. A must read for all recovering people! Pre-order her book here “Sex In Recovery is a work long overdue. In a frank,

A single mirrored drop of water sails through thick coastal air. A single drop expelled from heavy gray clouds, joins a school of like-minded peers free falling. A single drop swan dives, splatters against my windshield. Pushed aside by the wiper, like a finger washing tears from his cheek. The vent blows cool air in