Day 138 — From Rock Bottom to Rising Up
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It’s been about eighteen months since my entire life began to shift. I met “Hope” in the summer of 2023, confessed truths that upended my marriage, and suddenly found myself truly alone for the first time in 35 years. By November 17 of that same year, I literally hit rock bottom when I jumped off a wall—shattering my ankle and the illusions I’d clung to. In the months that followed, I was confined to an RV, physically immobilized and isolated in ways I never thought possible. Addiction was the catalyst, but that isolation fed my darkest thoughts, creating a battle in my mind that felt inescapable.
Yet, somehow, I kept getting back up. I fought, fell again, and rose once more—each time learning a little more about what I’m capable of and who I want to be. It wasn’t a neat, straight path, but rather a winding road of setbacks and breakthroughs. Still, on Day 138, I can see how far I’ve come. No matter how many times life knocked me down, I stood up again, determined to keep fighting for a better tomorrow.
A large part of my resolve comes from “Hope,” who inspired me to heal, change, and grow—even if our paths no longer align the way I once imagined. I also owe it to myself—the version of me who decided I was worth saving. With each challenge, I discovered new layers of resilience and found fresh reasons to keep going. Isolation taught me the depths of loneliness, but it also forced me to face the parts of myself I’d been avoiding.
I’m sharing a before-and-after photo today—one of me at over 200 pounds, and another from just a couple of months ago. Beyond the physical contrast, these pictures reflect the internal work I’ve done to become who I am now. I’m still on that journey, but each sober day, each step toward wholeness, is a victory in itself.
So here’s to all of us who keep trying, who keep rising, and who refuse to let our pasts define our futures. One Step, One Word, One Round at a time—that’s how I choose to live. Thank you for reading, for sharing this path with me, and for reminding me that none of us is ever truly alone.
Day 138
One Step. One Word. One Round. 🌹
—Your Fellow Traveler