I had a tea party tonight. My house overflowed with recovering women from my extended circle and my kitchen table didn’t have a square inch free of mostly healthy snacks, quite a few gluten-free and vegan because some of us eat like that. We had five little kids hanging about (well, one was a wee baby so he mostly hung off of his mom) and one teenager. Towards the end, a beloved woman who is closer to 80 than 75 these days dropped in. She is a dear soul to all of us.

All but four of us in attendance are in recovery (not including the kids, of course) from addiction or alcoholism. Some of us do 12 step recovery, others don’t. I’d say the majority of us have taken a yoga for recovery class in town with my daughter Taryn from Taryn Strong Yoga. At least 1/2 of us have been to a retreat – a few have actually been to four or five. Taryn and I have been to all seven, naturally.

We are all pretty successful people and most of us have been in recovery for a long time. One of us has minimal clean  today, but is getting back on track after a rather lengthy relapse. The truth is that shit  happens to people like us. And so we have to celebrate when we make it back. Because not all of us do.

All of us were really thrilled to see at least one person we hadn’t seen in a really long time, tonight. Most of us were really happy to see Annie – who has been away the longest. We drank more coffee than tea as it turned out and there was way too much food left behind. Well, my husband didn’t seem to mind when he came home but I’m not really appreciating that three chocolate dishes calling me from the kitchen.

I’m rambling a bit because I am exhausted. Happily exhausted. It’s been a great week – the launch of this website was a dream come true but it has tuckered me right out. Taryn’s online  She Recovers Mala shop is off to a great start, she is so grateful for your support. And I am too. It’s great to know that you love the malas as much as we do.

I won’t get much rest this weekend as Sunday is Recovery Day in our city and I’m the mistress of ceremonies. A good number of the women who were here tonight will drop by the celebration in our town square on Sunday. There will be music, speakers, balloons, information tables and by some odd twist a whole bunch of superheroes in costume (it’s a long story). We will show our city what recovery looks like on Sunday and that’s a good thing – they already know what addiction looks around here.

My tea party was originally intended as an early Recovery Day celebration. I think we did good. I’m so grateful for the amazing women in my life – for their support and for their love, not just for Taryn and I, but for each other. I don’t know that She Recovers would exist without the support of women like my Bug, Nap Coach, TL and so many others who were here this evening.

I’m thinking I might just have started an annual tradition for the Friday before Recovery Day. I’m pretty sure I am going to do it again next year. And you know what? You are all invited.

Love, Dawn

 

 

Join the She Recovers movement!

For news about upcoming events & retreats, new products, amazing articles and so much more, sign up for our newsletter.

You have Successfully Subscribed!