Early in recovery, body building was simply a means for me to release the stress and anger I had allowed myself to feel. After I quit drinking, I realized the problem wasn’t the drinking, it was my thinking! Remembering the first time I picked up that drink as a child, the self hatred and insecurity left me as soon as the alcohol kicked in. It quickly became the solution to all my problems, or so I thought.
Years later, the alcohol stopped working so I began experimenting with other substances. Slowly over time I realized I was killing myself, and I reached the point where I didn’t care if I lived or died.
Fortunately, a local chapter of a Clean & Sober Motor Cycle Club found me in my broken state, and I felt comfort as these were the type of people I hung out with most of my life, only it was different this time. They weren’t drinking or using. They were laughing and having fun without the use of drugs and alcohol. I had never heard of a clean & sober MC club before then. Ironically, they shared their experience, strength and hope with me and slowly over time, I began to love myself for the first time in my life! I realized, I had never truly experienced love until I was able to love myself. And that’s when I met Q. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, and I had just gotten out of a bad one. This woman taught me how to share my feelings and open up. More importantly, she taught me how to love. We built a relationship on trust & truth. She was truly a diamond in the rough when I met her. She was my angel all along. We both went into recovery around the same time and developed an unbreakable friendship that later led to that little guy on the back of my bike. I have 8 biological kids and 2 I raised from a very young age. When I heard Mel Chancey’s story, I was hopeful I could experience a life I had never dreamed of. God has a strange way of using our broken pasts for His glory. All I can promise anyone struggling with addiction is, if you work the 12 steps, it will change your life. I continue my journey to this day helping people that are struggling with addiction and it has given me a purpose driven life. Once I cleaned up spiritually, I straightened up both mentally and physically. I am truly blessed to have been given another chance.
My clean date is 6-6-2020 and I will be celebrating at 7:00pm Wednesday June 12th, 2024 at the 12 0n 2, if anyone cares to hear my story.
The address and details can be found here @ https://the12on2clubhouse.com