“It’s like I fell on a different plant and I learn to breathe new air.”
A petite forty years old woman sat opposite me, her blue eyes seriously when she described her new life in recovery. We are in a sparkling café with a gastronomic menu. Debbie ordered a cheeseburger, perhaps because she wanted it, or perhaps because it was known and safe. She seems like a shy teenager, but she was that old when her life went out of rails. That was then overtaken for years of youth trauma and she started a relationship with alcohol and then serious drugs, which led to a large number of other transactional relationships, so that the addiction could be fed, which then left a train wreck of broken relationships and eventually a broken life.
Debbie spent long pieces of time through homeless and missed learning skills that most of us take a matter of course. Skills such as how to manage a daily schedule, go to bed and to rise at set times, eat regular meals and keep agreements; Practice of worship, prayer, study, not to mention the lack of attention to exercise, body and health. The idea to set goals and prepare for a future is completely strange to her, but she is learning from day to day and moment to moment.
Debbie lives in a residential community and credits God, her community, and writes as part of her healing journey. A book with poetry, reflections, photos and drawings is the result of her awakening. When someone mouse himself and asked if I would encourage her in her writing life, I already knew which of us would be the one who was encouraged.
Hearing Debbie’s story reminds me that there are seasons in our entire life when we try to “learn to breathe new air.” It may not be drugs or alcohol, we can even have addictions to things that the world welcomes, such as performance and performance. Business and projects are my struggles, and I often fall off the car and then have to go back to my own recovery, learn again to breathe new air by leaning in my identity in Christ.
In addition to addictions, seasons of grief can also be moments when you think you can hardly survive from one day to the next. Sadness comes in so many forms. The loss of a child, parent, husband, wife, sister, brother or good friend. The empty house and no longer needed daily by your children. The loss of a job that you love. A catastrophic disease or injury where a new one is normally required. A betrayal by a friend, or another deep disappointment.
Is there something in your life that obliges you to learn to live in a new way, from moment to moment? Are you in a season of learning to breathe new air? Take the courage and be encouraged because you are not alone. Because of God’s grace we are all in a form of recovery.
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Bring Italy home.
Village lifeThrough Angela Correllinvites you to immerse yourself in the culture of a small Tuscan village, and experiences his quirky charm and fascinating wisdom. Drawn from Angela and her husband Jess’s time in Italy in the past 25 years, contains stunning photos, delicious recipes, lively stories and inspiring ideas to enrich your life, wherever you call at home.
Grab your cappuccino and settle for a sweet taste of village life. Read more about the book and how you can buy here.