In the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, a familiar refrain is that religion is for those who are afraid of Hell and spirituality is for people who have already been there. I am here to tell you that no truer words have been said. Most people who walk through the doors of AA or NA have

In Rosemary O’Connor’s chapter called “Joy and Laughter”, she talks about the lack of those things while in the midst of the disease, and how she found them again in recovery. Rosemary talks about a number of instances that reminded her of the power of laughter and joy in everyday life. One of the places

“Don’t die with the music still in you.” – Rosemary O’Connor In this chapter of O’Connor’s self-help book, Rosemary examines the concept of living life in recovery. We don’t get clean or sober to live in a bubble or to just stay frozen in time. While in our addiction, we never thought about the future

                      Another morning ruined. Stale mouth and sweat Puking Cringing Memories flashing great atrocities.   In a sick aggressive nature I seek more.        

Sexual trauma and co-dependency….finding the connection will be interesting. In Rosemary O’Connor’s book about taking care of ourselves in order to take care of our kids, she discusses two topics that go to the core of our self-esteem. Trauma consists of a deeply distressing or disturbing experience and it affects us on all levels:  physical,

Okay, this topic needed to be discussed on its own because how women deal with anger is enough to make someone’s blood boil. On this topic, my experience and Rosemary’s are in unison. Even our solution is similar; however, the length of time needed to solve the issue was significantly different.  The bottom line is:

Did you know, art, was amongst the first forms of communication between human kind. You did, Oh, well that is okay then. Art for me, my art, is very much what others see in it, not what I say it is. Anyway, my name is Adrian Scanlon aka NigelDaniel. NigelDaniel is my handle for art

I’d address you by name but you have so many so I’ll just call you booze. When I first met you, you made me feel loved, secure and at peace. You lent me your strength. Your charm rubbed off on me. I felt like a better man when I embraced you. You had me from

  In this next essay on Rosemary O’Connor’s wonderful book about being a mother in recovery, we tackle two very thorny subjects….dating and money. Let’s start with dating. I can’t count how many times I have heard a woman tell her story at a meeting, and at some point in the lead, she says “And

Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive;  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;  It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.