Age-ist

I ask my friend if she thinks we're old. I'm six months older than she is. She didn't answer the question.

But if a guy I like finds out how old I am and he likes me less than before; how can that be fair?

It's not my fault for age. It just happens. And besides. I didn't expect to be here for this long anyways believe me.

I am still a teenager in my heart. A child even. Just waiting to be loved. To be accepted.

Autumn is beautiful. It comes right before the leaves fall. 

Something to be happy about. 

Sober Li

2023

In Case Of An Emergency

Domestic Violence

Formal safety planning:

• Have money saved to escape if needed.
• Go outside of the home every day and think about how to escape if necessary.
• Tell a trusted someone what is really happening.
• Keep an escape bag packed and know where it is in the home if needed.
• If possible, keep an escape bag packed with passport, identification and money with a trusted friend or family member.
• Know every exit from every location in case of an emergency.

Perhaps the best form of safety planning is prevention. Give children a safe environment to grow and learn. Teach children love and respect at home by showing them love and respect. Know that every life is valuable.

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While you are here,

Lisa L'Heureux is the author of 7 books. Her work includes the Lisa's Sober Blog Series, This and the Man in the Moon and This One is About Domestic Violence. She lives with her family in Alberta, Canada.

More than six years ago, Lisa retired from practicing alcoholism.

. . . . .

**Buy the Lisa's Sober Blog Books Gift Pack
        

        

Lisa On Growing Up and Writing About It

When I was a little girl I wanted to be a writer. My favorite books were the Anne Of Green Gables series. I was adopted as a young child and I imagined that somewhere I was important to someone too. I was not particularly close to my adoptive family growing up and neither was I close to my biological family after meeting them again as a teenager.

I moved around a lot during most of my life after I left home at sixteen, well, thirteen if you include going to live with relatives. They say that if you have a problem with everyone then it is not everyone who has a problem but the problem is within yourself. I was depressed right up until a couple of years ago when I began my recovery process.

A few weeks ago I was watching some sad romantic movies and I was starting to feel low. I thought, what am I doing? I am doing this to myself. I am causing myself to feel sad by watching these movies! About a month earlier I had been listening to my music playlists and I noticed that many of the songs were about lost love or some other sad thing. I realized that I have been feeding myself all this. Yes, I had a rough life, majorly caused by my own grief. The rest happened but why did it have to have such a long-lasting impact? I decided to make a change. I created a new playlist, Lisa's New Fun Happy List on YouTube, and even knowing that is what the name of it is makes me feel better.

I do not know for how long I kept seeing a picture of this one guy that used to torment me when I was a teenager on Social Media. One day, I noticed how much this bugged me, seeing his picture so I blocked him. Instantly, I wondered why I had done this and unblocked him. I looked at some of his pictures. He looked physically healthy and happy. I see that he is a Dad. I considered what kind of a guy he was and how the saying goes about a tiger not changing their stripes. I wondered if I could forgive him and I discovered that I could and I did. I had been holding this for so long that it was a natural part of who I am. This bullying had happened so long ago. I had finally let it go.

Now that I am a woman, I want to write and I do. I wrote my favorite books. I am important to someone.

Lisa L'Heureux in Calgary, AB

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While you are here,

Lisa L'Heureux is the author of 7 books. Her work includes the Lisa's Sober Blog Series, This and the Man in the Moon and This One is About Domestic Violence. She lives with her family in Alberta, Canada.

More than six years ago, Lisa retired from practicing alcoholism.

. . . . .

**Buy the Lisa's Sober Blog Books Gift Pack

        

        

Promises

Last week, my university sponsor called me up and she sounded like she had bad news. "Lisa, we can only pay for your books and tuition. (We cannot give you a living allowance.)" Uh... Thank you very much! I was happy and grateful for it.

I had been thinking about university for a while and when I finally called them to ask about sponsorship on June 22, I found out their cutoff for funding applications was June 30. I had one week to pay my registration and get all the information together to meet the funding deadline, with no guarantees.

I ran into a snag when I found out that it would be several weeks before I would receive the transcripts from my G.E.D. needed to submit the funding application. I am in Alberta, Canada. To help me meet the deadline, a woman who works at the place where the transcripts were said she would send and informal email to my potential sponsor BUT, and this was a big but, I needed to go in person to pay the fee and hand in the request form. The transcripts were in Regina, Saskatchewan.

There were three prospective people that might be able to help, an aunt, a cousin, and a friend. The aunt never returned my text and the cousin didn't respond until it was too late. I downloaded the form. This was on the Saturday. It turned out that my friend worked close to the address I needed to hand in the form and fee. She was leaving to vacation on the Tuesday. She said she could do this transaction for me before 4PM on the Monday.

Now it was back in the hands of the would-be sponsor. She called me up to ask for a program list and description. I was able to provide everything required. Then I never heard anything from her. I tried calling her and could not reach her until the day she called to tell me there would be no living allowance.

That day, she said the decision would be made on Thursday the 5th of July as to who would be receiving school funding. Throughout this whole process, she has been really great.

Now, the university had a cutoff date of July 10 to be registered to begin courses on August 1st. I was already fingers crossed to be selected for funding. Things were looking good for me and my anticipation was high as I had been helped toward my goal already with the friend in Regina and the woman at the transcripts place.

I called on the 6th, which was a Friday, to find out if there was any word on the funding decision. I could not get in contact with anyone. I called on the Monday, with course registration due on the 10th, Tuesday. Yes! I found I was accepted and approved for books and tuition. Still, I needed to be registered for my courses on another tight deadline.

With assistance from my sponsor and the university, we three were able to get me into every course I selected with almost 24hs to spare. All of this happened in little over two weeks.

In The Program, one of The Promises is,

We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Surely this is one of those times.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

While you are here,

Lisa L'Heureux is the author of 7 books. Her work includes the Lisa's Sober Blog Series, This and the Man in the Moon and This One is About Domestic Violence. She lives with her family in Alberta, Canada.

More than six years ago, Lisa retired from practicing alcoholism.

. . . . .

**Buy the Lisa's Sober Blog Books Gift Pack
        

        

Getting Jiggy With It

I have been working in the garden the past couple days. The weeds and hot sun mix to remind me of not so nice memories, which makes me think of potentially negative things that are happening. I let my mind wander from topic to topic that has to do with life, past, present and future. I try to work out solutions to problems. I like to think of wildly outlandish solutions. It's a good work-out, mind and body!

I spent May long weekend at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel in Calgary. I took photos of family swimming in the pool and sliding down the waterslide. I lounged in the room, ordered room service, and crunched down a nice green salad when it was delivered to me. In the mornings, I went to the club room and sat eating my breakfast while looking out at the mountains and in the forefront Calgary downtown skyline. Best of all, the room was free to me (us). I like to think, a gift, for being such a good girl. I prefer to be at home but it was a nice break.

On Saturday, I went to see the new Jumanji. This is a remake of an older movie, with a fresh spin and great funny characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it, except for a couple of scenes that were scary and gross! It was quite violent but for some reason done in such a way that it was amusing. Some scenes were definitely laugh out loud. A couple of the characters did some acting which was a lot different than I have ever seen them do.

I also went to the Calgary Zoo. The walkways were packed when we got there. The weather was hot. I think I remembered some far-back memories of taking my firstborn there many years ago. I am sure I know why I haven't been there since. I especially don't like crowds when I have children with.

All in all, it was worth living all this time to be there for that. After having drank myself practically to death, I am usually amazed when I am well enough to do anything at all. To be sober too, I didn't think I was going to make it. There are some life events that I am pushing for. I want to believe that things are going to continue to work out for me.

I recently started following an old acquaintance on Instagram. The acquaintance does yoga now. The last time I heard anything about him, he'd torn a tendon in his leg. He used to do a really physically taxing job which he quit after hurting himself, I think. When I saw what he has been doing to his body with the yoga, I was inspired.

Ultimately, it's about getting jiggy with life! There are moments when I would like to just give up but then I remember what I have been through and the moments that have brought me to this. The inspirators and the instigators. I know that I can make it another day. More than that, I know I can even have enjoyment in at least one moment. One breath.

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While you are here,

Lisa L'Heureux is the author of 7 books. Her work includes the Lisa's Sober Blog Series, This and the Man in the Moon and This One is About Domestic Violence. She lives with her family in Alberta, Canada.

More than six years ago, Lisa retired from practicing alcoholism.

. . . . .

**Buy the Lisa's Sober Blog Books Gift Pack
        

        

Freedom

For me, freedom is...

1. Not having to do any drugs for mental stimulation or recreation.
2. Being able to leave my house whenever I want. 
3. Not having to do anything I do not want to. 
4. Choosing the people I want to be around. 
5. Being able to write whatever I want. 
6. Not having to have a drink today. 
7. Privilege to own any books I like. 
8. Having a variety of foods to eat. 
9. Having everything I need. 
10. Having more than I need. 
11. Having my own money. 
12. Going out with friends. 
13. Going to visit friends. 
14. Wearing makeup. 
15. Exercising. 
16. Learning. 
17. Dancing. 
18. Walking. 
19. Talking. 
20. Loving. 

Sometimes it may seem like slow going but keep on working toward whatever you are working on. Today is a good day to renew goals, affirm dreams, and reestablish footing on the trait. Be grateful for the little things.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

While you are here,

Lisa L'Heureux is the author of 7 books. Her work includes the Lisa's Sober Blog Series, This and the Man in the Moon and This One is About Domestic Violence. She lives with her family in Alberta, Canada.

More than six years ago, Lisa retired from practicing alcoholism.

. . . . .

**Buy the Lisa's Sober Blog Books Gift Pack
        

        

Fun Fragile Times

I know I do write quite a bit about some scary life experiences I have had. I have some other memories. There were times when I was a child that I spent long afternoons playing Barbies with the two sisters I grew up with. In the wintertime, there were massive snowbanks where we would dig tunnels, and we would also go sledding and skating. Our parents used to take us camping in the summertime. We would swim and eat hot dogs cooked over an open fire. My Mum made this kind of bannok cooked on a stick and fill it up with jam for us on these camping excursions. It's becoming important to me to keep those good memories in mind. With practice, it can become natural to think positive, almost all the time. Three years ago, I couldn't think positive, at least barely ever. I had been trying to quit smoking for a long time. It was my smoking habit that brought out the problems that my long drinking career had been creating in my life. Every area was affected. When I tried to quit these things, I was miserable, every day. Today, and I know that today could be my last day, I concentrate on thinking about things that are uplifting or at least subjects that don't bring me down.

I talk and write about all these things that happened to me when I was growing up and as a young adult because it is in the past, my past, it's what I know. This is what happened. An uncle told me that I should create a character to write stories about, insinuating that my books are no good, he never read a one. He doesn't know. But I thought, why would I create a fictional character? I am right here. And my story is at least as good as something I could make up. This is where positive thinking can come into play. I was up late into the night reading articles when I started to research something, I forget what it was that brought it about, but I went down a dark path of symptom checking. By the time I went to bed, I was convinced that I had some rare disease. Except, in most instances, only Caucasian men ever have it. When I awoke, I was feeling optimistic and shed whatever it was that had caused me to get thinking terrible. Grateful for the day, I went about my usual business. The spring of the year I quit drinking I was overweight and lost 15 pounds, then after I quit in September, I slowly lost twenty pounds over a period of about two years. I quit eating meat and other animal products, rarely eating sugar, other processed foods, etc., and lost another fifteen pounds. After this, I had food-poisoning. I lost some more weight, becoming rather underweight. I think I understand how fragile a person can be. How quickly life can be taken away. One good flu and I could have been kaput. But I am healthy. I think I was officially shedding the last fat that I had begun to accumulate somewhere between the ages of 11 and 13. Surely I was experiencing the toxins from those fat cells being released into my system. I emotionally felt so awful. Even this, positive thinking was no match for! I took a day off.

I recently started taking a mindfulness course. This is how I keep it together. I also work a lot. I watch as much television as possible. I enjoy life in a way that I never did before. This is a time that will never happen for me again. With all the powerful and unstable events happening in the world today, I can not possibly know what tomorrow may bring. With that I know how much living is just for today. Sometimes, just for this moment.

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While you are here,

Lisa L'Heureux is the author of 7 books. Her work includes the Lisa's Sober Blog Series, This and the Man in the Moon and This One is About Domestic Violence. She lives with her family in Alberta, Canada.

More than six years ago, Lisa retired from practicing alcoholism.

. . . . .

**Buy the Lisa's Sober Blog Books Gift Pack