Nightingale

forty-nine

IT'S ALIVE!! It is me, I'm alive and doing well. This chapter is about 10,000 words so I hope you enjoy!

My last day here. Well not a full day technically speaking but I still have group therapy and then I pack up all of my things. Since my birthday, I've open the locket at least 6 times a day. It still hasn't fully sunk in that I have a fiance, like that's what Harry is to me now. No longer just my boyfriend. I shouted it at Cheryl when Harry brought me back, we were a couple minutes late but apparently everyone was in on it. She wanted to see the ring but was slightly disappointed when I told her I don't have it yet.

Lydia was hounding me with questions the next morning, well everyone in our group was, all of them wanting details as to why I was in such a cheery mood, my smile never fading from the night before. Honestly I don't think I've stopped smiling since he proposed.

"Good morning everyone!" Kelen exclaims, very cheerful this morning sense everyone left in our group is finally going home today. Not in the sense of 'thank god these people are leaving' but out of genuine happiness for all of the progress we have made. "Today is a very exciting day, everyone is going back home! With that being said, today's group topic is going to be about readjusting to a sober society. There's a sense of anticipatory anxiety around re-navigating and reintegrating- an excitement and trepidation at the same time, and the fears around, 'will I be able to cope'. Any ideas on how one might do that?" He adds.

"Accepting the change of scenery." Garriet says after a brief moment of silence.

"Acceptance is a prerequisite for making change. Acceptance doesn't mean that one likes or agrees with what is but that one acknowledges facts. After living treatment, you may think that you are going to go back in and jump into life as it was before, and that's not always the best approach. Progress, not perfection. You have to be constantly asking yourself what's out of your control, circumstances, how other people behave, and what's in your control, how you respond, goes hand in hand with acceptance. We have to accept that we have grown into a better person but that one wrong move could risk your sobriety. Take in life at your own pace. What else can we think of?" Kelen further elaborates Garriet's idea.

"Having a good support system." Georgia chirps in.

"Yeah, that's a big part of it Georgia," Kelen praises ", a good and strong support system is a need when readjusting. It's important to have people you can go to when you are struggling with sobriety but also when you aren't struggling. These people can help you avoid testy situations but also praise you when you are winning the battle, enjoying the good days with you. What else?"

"Setting boundaries." I decided to add. It is true that boundaries are important in any sense but especially with sobriety.

"Ooh that's a good one Parker. I think what I would add to that is having a plan. Something that we've already been doing here but planning things and still being flexible can help. This can mean bringing your own transportation, talking with a friend beforehand or calling someone if things get uncomfortable. Which rounds back to the support system. It's good to set boundaries and have a couple of people in your corner who understand your situation. It's also important to know that you have the power to say no to things. Like if you are going out for a night on the town you might end up in a situation that might risk your sobriety, you can say no to going because that's pushing your boundaries. This also goes for relationships, if certain people put you in a stressful situation emotionally that can trigger things for you, it's okay to say no to even having a relationship with this person, that's a boundary. Lydia, do you have something you want to add?" Kelen finishes, the group's attention all turning towards Lydia, who has yet to add something to the conversation topic.