About a year ago, my mom went into recovery. She has had to be really strong to go through all the steps and not give up. When she went away I was sad and missed her but I know that in the long run, everything will be better.

Nobody liked what she had been doing with all the drugs, alcohol and illegal substances. Family and friends pushed her toward recovery, and she finally decided to go through with it. She went into a program and began going to classes and meetings. She realized that she was going nowhere and accomplishing nothing and that she had to change it.

She had enough willpower to let go of all the drugs and alcohol. In the beginning, the results were limited, but now they have begun to improve drastically. Each day, her accomplishments are growing bigger and better.

Everything she has accomplished has gotten her where she is now - living a better and happier life. Her perspective has changed and she now values the right things.

To help her get through it all she had to think of how much better her life could be without the drugs and alcohol. People would be much happier with her. She knew in the past that what she was doing was wrong, but she didn’t regret too much of it. She wouldn’t be where she is right now if she hadn’t gone through the bad times. You have to take the obstacles life throws at you and work around them until you get where you’re going - to a better and happier life. She had to deal with drugs, alcohol and their problems to realize she had to change and do something. Everyone needs to learn from their mistakes.

My mom has had a big impact on my life. If she were still out there doing what she used to, who knows where’d she’d be, but now I know she won’t be doing anything like that anymore, and I don’t have to worry. I love my mom more than anything. She’s my best friend, and I am very grateful that I have her.