By Lisa N.

Recovery – it takes some time.
Minutes turn to days, days to weeks.
While the weeks, they mark the climb.

Work through the months, get to the end.
Recovery is continuous, a journey and path.
No final destination you see, my friend!

Addiction is our illness, connection is our cure.
We wrestle our demons, deal with Life.
Adulting with competence, our goal, to be sure.

Present and feeling, every cry or laugh.
No numbing, no leaving, no escaping.
Living it all fully, not existing only by half.

Course of action is simple, the execution is not.
Struggle with emotions; intense and variable.
Learning how to behave; we change our thoughts.

Better ways of communicating with friends.
We understand ourselves, our family, more.
Life becomes clear, we heal and make amends.

Recovery continues as long as we’re alive.
We continue to grow through our experiences.
We adapt, we keep evolving. We thrive.

Published in A New Leaf – June 2025