Mama, Don't Give Up!

This song came to me one night. The words kept running through my head all day until I put them down on paper. While I write a lot of poetry about our family’s experience with addiction, this is the first time a song came to me. It was also strange that it came in the voice of a person struggling with addiction who wants recovery, rather than in the voice of a mother, which is the voice I use in my writings. Because it was such a different experience, I didn’t know what to make of it. I sent it to JD to see what he thought. He worked his magic and turned it into this beautiful song that is simple like it was in my dream but, hopefully, powerful as well. The struggle is very real for our loved ones. We hope this song gives them a voice, even if it is just a small one. We hope you like it!

Mama, Don’t Give Up!

By: Rose Barbour

I’m dying on the outside

And screaming within

It’s a deadly game

That no one wins.

The people that I’ve hurt

At every turn

The roads I’ve travelled

The bridges I’ve burned.

Mama, I hurt so bad

From this life I’m living

The addiction that I have

Is so unforgiving.

Through the darkness

There’s a glimmer of hope  

That I might break free

If I can somehow cope.

With nothing to lose

I’m taking control

Reclaiming my life  

And my heart and soul.

Chorus

Mama, I hurt so bad 

From this life I’m living

The addiction that I have

Is so unforgiving.

Please forgive me

For the pain I’ve caused

I hate myself

But I was so damn lost.

Turning a nightmare

Into a dream

The power is in me

I want to believe.

So, Mama, don’t give up

I am on my way

Keep your hope alive 

And continue to pray.

Who I was

Is not who you see

This life is hell

It has hardened me.

Please forgive me

For the pain I've caused  

I hated myself

But I was so damn lost.

So, Mama, don’t give up

I am on my way

Keep your hope alive 

And continue to pray.

Song Lyrics by Rose Barbour

Music by JD White

http://shadowsinpei.blogspot.ca/2015/04/mama-dont-give-up.html

SMART Recovery is growing!

We are so pleased to announce that we now have 3 SMART Recovery meetings in Queen’s County:

Mondays at 7:00 at the Reach Centre in Stratford

Wednesdays at 7:00 at the Trinity United Church (Richmond Street Entrance), 2^nd Floor, Classroom 12

Saturdays at 2:30 at Mt. Herbert Addictions Treatment Facility (this is a closed group for patients only)

We currently have several people registered to become facilitators and many others who are interested. We are hoping that by the summer time we will have SMART Recovery meetings most nights of the week.

We are holding an information session on Saturday, April 11^th from 1 to 3 for people who are signed up for the facilitator training or interested in it. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Rose at behindtheaddiction@gmail.com or Nicole at 902-620-0000.

We need people from all over the Island to volunteer so that we can bring this wonderful program to all Islanders who need it. If you want to make a difference in your community, this is a good opportunity to do so. There is not one community that hasn’t been impacted by addictions in some way.

Here is the SMART Recovery website where you can learn more about the program: http://www.smartrecovery.org/ 

Come out and join our SMART Recovery PEI team!