Wow! I cant believe its coming up soon on 2 months with this dream of mine- SoberSewist.com Its funny- when i start thinking of a topic for a blog post, I am wracking my brain… and then POOF- it usually just appears! Seriously- its true! Follow your Dream… I saw it on a sign when I was driving!
Think about this… Did you ever have a dream become a reality? Or, are you still trying to figure out what your dream is? Or, is it that you are helping someone else with their dream? What really does all this even mean?
I do believe that as you get older- your dreams change, they evolve with you, as you are going through life. My dream in high school was wanting to be a teacher! Yup! Yikes- when I think of that-LOL! Being a teacher– takes a special person- not that I’m not a special person 🙂 My best friend, Michelle is a teacher, and yes, she is a special person! She has since retired, and she still does some subbing. Looking at her teaching career- this was the perfect job for her- it was her dream! She LOVED it. She was actually my Jesse’s 3rd grade teacher, which was how we became friends, our kids were close in age, so it worked! So, back to my dream, yes, first it was a teacher… then it was to own my own business- which became a reality for me at age 23 when I bought The Red Arrow, in 1987. My dad had always been my mentor, and it was what I knew- I grew up in the restaurant business, so it was natural for me. Fast forward through the years, husband(s) kids, family, homes, more diners, travel and life goes on…
So… when did my dream change? Hmmm… that’s a good question. I do believe the seed was planted about 6 years ago, when I walked into Martin’s House of Cloth. I was always a sort of crafty person, and this visit brought me there to buy some fleece to make those no-sew tie blankets! When I start something- watch out-I get into it! I made quite a few of these. But this visit to Martin’s had me walking past a women in the corner of the store teaching a girl how to sew… I inquired, and she told me she rents the space and gives sewing lessons. The rest is history. That woman is Doris, and she was my sewing teacher! To this day- she tells me I was her all-star student-LOL I will never forget telling my mom- I’m buying a sewing machine and taking sewing lessons! LOL LOL I tended to start things and go all out and not keep up with them! This was a little different. I remember the first things I learned was pillow cases and aprons. I made my 3 girlfriends these for Christmas that year. I got this crazy “high” picking out the fabric- matching them and thinking about the person, and personalizing it to them as best I could! Believe me when I tell you EVERYONE i knew had a pillowcase from me, and you know, I’m thinking right now, I need to make some and add these on my SoberSewist.com
I was and still am obsessed with sewing. I remember at a class in Nashua talking with all the ladies- I asked them, “Why is it that you all have 2-3 sewing machines?” They just laughed! It didn’t take me long to figure that one out! (I now have 4!) My new obsession with sewing brought me to the the machine embroidery world! I just couldn’t believe that you could do things like this- ITH. As the years went by making project after project, and pretty much giving it all away- people started saying to me- why don’t you sell this stuff? And there you have it! Here I am The Sober Sewist! Yes, I am sober- and yes I am an alcoholic! Sewing plays a big part in my recovery. Especially in the early days of me getting sober- I’m sure as we go along this Blog journey, my story will be told in bits and pieces along the way… Its coming up on a year- August 4th, 2018 when I went to rehab in Arizona! So, you are probably now thinking, that I am coming up on my 1 year- BIG anniversary of being sober! I wish I could say that- but I can’t. At about my almost 8th month mark… I started slacking with my daily meetings… and kept hearing that slipping up is part of recovery! Hmmm…. so– my mind got the best of me! (obsessing) Thank God, it was only 1 night, about 4 hours. Two things I learned. First, I went right back to drinking the way I always had- which is NOT normal, I am always looking for the next one, and the one after, and so on… and second- I did NOT even enjoy it!- Especially the next morning when the guilt, shame and remorse set in! It sort of still is there- which I know I need to deal with- its called a resentment, and I must let it go, OR it will get the better of me! This is a fact.
This week I am getting my 3 month chip! My new sobriety date is April 28, 2019- and that is OK. My current dream— Receiving My 1 Year Medallion, AND, in my meetings, when they say… “If you have 1 year or more, please raise your hand to show the program works” My hand will be raised so high and proud! I may even bring all of you with me when I get it!
Carol xo
P.S. Pass the word around for your friends and family to subscribe on SoberSewist.com, to be entered at time of each blog post to win a Sober Sewist Bag! Winner announced tomorrow (Monday) to win Progress not Perfection- Blog Post 2 bag!