The Birth of a Sobriety Baby: A Man’s Labor Story

a cherub angel with a glowy halo, and the shadow of a devilish figure

By T Money

Nine months in, and Justin was glowing—

Not from booze, not from weed, not from anything flowing.

He’d been carrying this thing, deep in his soul,

A sobriety baby—his life’s new goal.

At first, it was easy, just a little bloat,

Some cravings, some mood swings, but he stayed afloat.

Then came the nausea, the late-night sweats,

The weirdest damn dreams, the lingering regrets.

The devil on his shoulder, dressed in red,

Whispered, “C’mon, man, just one hit instead.”

But Justin knew better—he’d seen that trick,

One puff, one sip, and he’d be back real quick.

The cravings got stronger in that ninth month stretch,

Like contractions of old habits, making him wretch.

He gritted his teeth, he breathed real deep,

This sobriety baby was his to keep.

Then one day, BAM! The moment arrived,

Nine months clean—damn, he’d survived!

He held his newborn, fresh and new,

A life without smoke, a future in view.

“Congratulations!” his friends all cheered,

“You made it, man—despite what you feared!”

And though the devil still lurked, all sneaky and sly,

Justin just winked and kissed his baby goodbye.

For this was a birth worth all the pain,

A brand-new life, with everything to gain.

Congratulations on 9 months and your Sobriety Baby Justin NC!!

Published in A New Leaf – May 2025

More Articles

  • From Magic to Misery

    Written by, Adam K. This isn’t working for me anymore. At first, every time felt like fireworks.You showed me the secrets of the universe—so many insights,creativity blooming,getting lost in thought,enhancing the senses,unearthing emotions,recalling past memories…Spending more and more time with youand less and less time with people I loved.I couldn’t live without you.But I’m not…

    From Magic to Misery
  • Replying to a Major Publications Article on Weed

    Written by, Param D. Today an article called “Review of Medical Cannabis Use Finds Little Evidence of Benefit” that was published by a major news outlet. I started to read the comments, many of which denied  that weed could be addictive or harmful. It prompted me to write a comment of my own. “I’m a…

    Replying to a Major Publications Article on Weed
  • Heard in a Meeting

    “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?” Published in A New Leaf – April 2026

    Heard in a Meeting
  • Break Up Letter

    Written By, Stefania M. Dear Mary Jane, I was thinking about you today, I haven’t smoked you in a while, Your smell lingers in my mind. I wondered if you’ve thought of me during this time away….but in reality you’ve been playing around with others. I’m not the only one you took down. Rumour has…

    Break Up Letter
  • Can I truly live a life without marijuana?

    Written By, Kat L. At almost 11 months clean and sober, it is hard to imagine a life completely without marijuana. I smoked pot for over 30 years and tried to quit many, many times to no avail. I lived and breathed marijuana. It was what I lived for on a daily basis. I planned…

    Can I truly live a life without marijuana?
  • Coming Out of Fog

    Written by, JoyceAnne I didn’t arrive here with a dramatic crash. No one dragged me into a meeting. No one waved empty a pipe in my face. No one ever said, “You ruined my life with your using.” I just used enough to muffle the edges. Enough to stuff things down. Enough to crawl into…

    Coming Out of Fog