Pay Hope Forward

By Barbara Nicholson Brown

Hope — one of my favorite words. It reminds me to believe and trust something greater than myself has the divine plan. Without hope I would be doomed.

As an active addict, hope meant nothing more than “hoping to get out of a jam; get away with my lies; hope I don’t lose my job.” For all the hoping I did — life was dark and disconnected. Family and friends were tired of my empty promises and most lost hope I would change.

Some of us make it in recovery and others don’t — it’s a harsh reality. Being shackled to the bottle, drugs or any other addiction are tough chains to break — but it is possible.

At the start of my journey, the most I could hope for a was a glimmer of something better. I was offered hope by people who were on the path ahead of me and for once I paid attention to what others said. Being clean and sober was unfamiliar territory and I was scared.

It’s up to me how I approach challenges, and up to me to ask for help. It’s up to me, along with your support to never give up hope and be there to offer it to someone else. Pay Hope Forward.