I started working the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions with my sponsor. I began writing stories that I could share at my CoDA meetings. I knew I felt safe there and no one would criticize me. That was something I wasn’t used to.

When I wrote my “AHA” moment and read it to my sponsor, she suggested I send it to CoDA. I was surprised that she thought enough of my writing to even consider it worthy of such an organization. That is how low my self-esteem was. Her encouragement and belief in me gave me the courage to go ahead and send it in. To my surprise CoDA printed it in their Weekly Reading.

In the past couple years, I have had a very life-changing event. I had a brain-bleed (or stroke), but I have regained all my faculties, which is a miracle. If it weren’t for the CoDA Steps and Traditions, Promises, slogans, affirmations, my sponsor, my pastor, my friends, my prayers, my husband, and the medical community, I know I would not be able to write or speak to you about these challenges.

I often write about nature, animals, game shows, or musical shows. I think and see how animals have feelings. They just express them in a different way. I am able to see the symbolism and the different codependent behaviors in stories. I now realize I was actually performing a disservice to myself, even though I was writing what I believe is true. I wrote as if I were speaking to a group of people, so I often wrote in the 3rd person. I believe God works in mysterious ways. It wasn’t until I read an email, did I realize that although my stories were enjoyable and sometimes humorous, I was really cleansing my soul. My writing was God’s way of making me take another step in Recovery.

I thank God, my sponsor, and CoDA for helping me move forward. I will always be grateful to you. I still have a long way to go but I know I am not alone.

God bless you always. Linda C. – 06/19/22