As the parent of an addict/alcoholic, I faced fear on many fronts– fear of an overdose, a car accident, an explosive encounter, to name a few. Even with a child in recovery, my fear lies latent, waiting like a deranged jack-in-the-box to spring out at the slightest touch: the opening of a (liquor? medicine?) cabinet or the $10 bill that appears to have gone astray or the piercing ring of a wrong number in the middle of the night.  It’s a constant challenge to pump up my courage and reclaim my life, especially when much of my fear is self-induced:  it exists only in my wildest imaginations and has nothing to do with the reality of my son’s life. I am my own worst enemy in many ways.

One dad, Mitch Winehouse, saw his worst fears come true  when he lost his daughter, iconic singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse, to alcohol poisoning.  In an effort to eradicate the stigma of addiction, Mitch will share stories about Amy and their family’s struggle in a live Facebook chat on Wednesday, June 27 at 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT.  You can learn more about the event here.

As the prayer says, “God, don’t change my world…change me.”  Flex that muscle called courage!  Learn about courage from Mitch, or from Courage to Change by the Al-Anon Family Group.  And check out our “Courage” Meeting in a Box which has great tools to help you conquer your fears, either alone or with a supportive group.  Inch by inch, we can grow and change and leave fearfulness behind.