From Loss To Light
Today, I want to share a dark chapter of my life
It led to the brightest dawn I never could imagine
I should’ve felt excitement about graduation in my senior year of college
My mother's terminal illness overshadowed it instead
As I watched her health deteriorate, I felt helpless with the inevitable
The sorrow was overwhelming
And my drinking spiraled into dependency to numb my feelings
My grades fell and treasured relationships crashed
The future I’d worked hard for was slipping away
All while my mother continued to fight her own battle
When the last semester arrived, I was barely functioning
The concerned looks from friends weren't enough to pull me back from the brink
It was my mom who, despite her suffering,
Confronted me with the truth I'd been avoiding
I needed help
The decision to enter rehab was the hardest choice I'd ever made
Leaving school meant delaying graduation
And I might not be there in my mother's last moments
Life doesn't pause for our plans
While I was in rehab, I received the news my mom had died
The grief was crushing, along with the guilt of my absence
I nearly abandoned my recovery
But something inside redirected me
My mother's last act of love set me on the path of healing
The least I could do was honor her by not giving up on myself
I made a promise to dedicate my sobriety to her memory
Every day without substances became a tribute to her courage
It was a step toward becoming the person she always believed I could be
We all face times that mold our lives into "before" and "after"
Sometimes they’re tragic, or beautiful, and they change us
What watershed event shifted the trajectory of your life?
Was it a loss? Relationship? Decision? Chance encounter?
How did you navigate this situation?
And who have you become because of it?
In your darkest times, trust me, you will come upon a soothing light.