An Awakening

Written by, Anonymous

All men are not created equal.
This truth had slapped me blind,
In it’s evil way; By its own design.
Enter God’s will and now I see.
To see this truth is relief, although unpleasant.
Why me? Should I be given this burden…
This sickness which knows not compromise.
God’s will? His message of chance to my soul?
Learn to ask him into my life and I can forsake this Evil.
Deny his love and I shall be devoured; This seems to be his work.
This shortcoming known as addiction; Punishment or gift I do not know…
Yet it leads me to God; For that I am glad.

Published in A New Leaf – November 1991

  • Shared Steps

    Written by, Cheryl B. You didn’t flinch.I noticed.Even when I unraveledlike thread pulled too far. You didn’t rush to fixor offer polished truths.You just stood—still,present. That mattered morethan you’ll ever know. I spilled stories,pixelated and flickering,sent across flat screensand silent hours. You received themwithout question,without recoil.Patient as a treein soft wind. I expected judgment—maybe even…

    Shared Steps
  • Summer Days

    Written by, Michael M. For me, sunny summer days were made for using. At the pool. Before work. After work. For BBQ’s. For hikes in the woods. My friend used to say that weed was a “guaranteed good time.” And for addicted me, summer was prime “party” time. My mind wants to reminisce about how…

    Summer Days
  • Recovery

    Written by, Jennifer W. Yesterday is goneToday has just begunTomorrow is not yet hereThe clouds are shiftingThe fog is liftingAnd everything is made clear We can’t go back or forwardWe only have todaySo let us bow our heads and prayThat we stay in the momentNow and foreverBecause We only have today One was never enoughI…

    Recovery
  • A New Leaf on Life

    Written by, Anonymous My journey into recovery starts as a pre-teen. I was a survivor of childhood cancer– a kidney cancer– and my parents were superstitious so they did not tell me about my cancer until my pediatrician shamed them about this when I turned 10, 6 years after my treatment. I did not know…

    A New Leaf on Life
  • The Sandbar

    Written by, Anonymous She woke up and found herself alone in a rowboat, stranded on a sandbar with only food and water by her side. She wasn’t quite sure how she ended up there. She thought once the tide came in, “I can make my way to shore. I don’t need help or assistance.” As…

    The Sandbar
  • Heard in a Meeting

    “We recover by the steps we take, not the meetings we make.” Published in A New Leaf – August 2025

    Heard in a Meeting