PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
The power of unconditional love
I'm a PAL mom who started a PAL meeting in my local community. I've been married for 44 years and have two biological children and two “adopted" daughters that call us mom and dad. Between them I'm a grandma of three boys and two girls....
Needing something more
My husband and I just celebrated 42 years of marriage. We have one child together – a son – and I have a bonus daughter who was 4 years old when we got married. My son was always spontaneous and loved going fast on go karts...
Finding my recovery path
My husband and I have three adult children. We’re a typical family. I was a stay-at-home mom, I volunteered at each of my children’s schools through the years, we were active in our church, we took family vacations, we cheered...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Vignettes
November 17, 2012 16th Street and Glendale. Phoenix, Arizona I’m barely scraping by. I’ve left the halfway house again in my brazen denial of reality – my utter consumption with staying intoxicated fish-hooking me into another miserable situation. I’m in a...
Living in grace, forgiveness
While I labored intently in my single-minded zeal to stay intoxicated, lost in my disease, so many important individuals were left in the dust picking up the pieces I’d so recklessly broken along my path. Lately, I’ve noticed myself reflecting on this more than...
Encourage the process of healing
Happy New Year! Here we are again, on the cusp of another new era – the next chapter of our lives ready to unfold with each passing day. I’d like to thank you all for being here with me on this journey - this dissection of days passed wherein I’ve mined both...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Is accepting the same as condoning?
We talk often about acceptance in our PAL meetings. Acceptance is also spoken of frequently in substance use treatment programs as well as in AA meetings. On page 417 of the fourth edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous it says,...
Only I can be responsible for my own happiness
I will never forget the feelings of worry and fear that consumed me during the early years of my journey with my sons. Over time, I learned from my PAL facilitator and fellow PAL members that if I allowed those feelings to consume me, it...
Drama-Free Holidays
Journal entry December 25, 2011: “I’m not sure I would have had children if I knew I would have to endure a day like today.” Can you relate to this? There was a time when I would have been too ashamed to share that with you. Since...
