One Year

***Submitted by Corinne, who is a regular contributor to Crying Out Now


I have strung 365 sober days together. At times painfully. At times effortlessly. And every day I count the months. I count the days. Sometimes I count the moments.


It helps me believe the truth in where I am. I am sober. I have chosen sobriety and my life and my children and my husband and each moment I have chosen to be present.

This year brought much reflection, digging, learning. I now know that I used to drink to numb, to not care. I used to drink to feel... like myself. Or the self that I thought I was. But I never really understood who I was until I stopped drinking.

And I’m still finding out.

When I look back at the last year, I see truth.

I see the truth of what sobriety can give you: freedom, bright eyed mornings, awareness. I see truth in the community of those in recovery: kindness, non judgement, compassion. I see truth in my life: honesty, openness, a gentle soul, and a long way to go. And in being true with myself and others, I’ve found a soft landing for this weary traveler to rest her soul.

One year. One beautifully painful exquisite year.