HeArt to Recover

For years my step mom Colleen and I had a difficult relationship. I was suffering from mental illness and in those difficult teenage/early adulthood years. Colleen struggled with alcoholism.

It was a volatile combination and for a while I didn't think our relationship could be salvaged.

I even felt I needed to remove myself from the situation because of the stress and pain our relationship was causing everyone around us.

It was hard, but necessary.

Then something amazing and wonderful happened. I sought treatment for my brain mush.

Colleen went to rehab. She's been sober almost 18 months.

I cannot explain the joy our renewed relationship brings me and my family.

She has used art as an outlet for coping with difficulty and for expressing joy for a long time.

This week, for the first time ever, she opened her very own art show at a local library.

I am so proud of her and how far she has come in recovery.

After all the difficulties in our relationship in the past I feel so lucky to have the amazing woman that is Colleen in my life.

(If you're local to Salt Lake City you can see her show here.)