When I was still using, Christmas didn’t have nearly the same meaning to me that it does today. I’ve spent Christmas in the past in institutions, on the streets, and distant from my family. The last several years I have been able to show up for my family for Christmas and the holidays. I came through Miracle House in 2009 and that was the first Christmas in years that I was able to enjoy my families company and be a part of their lives, and more importantly, be sober for it. Christmas in Miracle House is especially a special time of the year. Holidays are tough for any alcoholic and addict and in the house, but you are supported and surrounded by a group of people who start as your peers, and eventually, become your brothers. In 2009, my cousin passed away 3 days before Christmas and the love and support that I had from the guys around me were a blessing to me, as well as my family. As a result of the house, I was able to show up for my aunt who had lost her son, each year that the holidays came around. I was also able to be a part of my family each year since then, including staying in contact with my younger sister, even though she has not lived locally in 8 years.
This year I am a resident of Miracle House again, and my family knows that they will be able to have a happy and stress-free Christmas because they know I am in good hands. Christmas is a time for the guys of the house to bond, live and laugh sober, and meet other families and share in their traditions. One of my biggest fears my whole life about sobriety was that I would not be able to have fun and enjoy myself in sobriety. I have learned from the past years that is exactly the opposite of that, and that this house, the program of AA, and the lifelong friends that I have made in the house make the holidays more fun, exciting, and loving than I could have ever imagined.
Last Updated on September 11, 2024
