I have always loved a raging fire. Bonfires, beach fires, fires in the fireplace, candle flames… I find flames hypnotic and inspiring. Fire is visual music to me. In Portugal, forest fires are part of the late summer landscape. Sometimes a carelessly thrown cigarette butt will light up a eucalyptus grove and sometimes the fires
If you’ve ever given up drinking you will have read a myriad of articles proclaiming how fabulous life is without booze: words of hope, words of praise, page upon page of unimaginable achievement. Since I stopped drinking 4.5 years ago I’ve become increasingly aware that these articles are pretty one-sided tending to focus on the
I wasn’t a black out binge drinker and I didn’t come close to hitting any kind of rock bottom. I just decided it was time to take a break from the booze. As a mother and as a woman my wine time wasn’t serving me well anymore. Today is day 48 alcohol-free for me and
I have woken up with clarity this morning. I cannot add drinking back into my life. It takes away the things that make me feel better. Not right away, but eventually. It takes my confidence, inner peace and strength, motivation, closeness to my kids, my freedom, my health, my sleep. I get to a certain
