I sat down at Brenda’s dining room table. I flipped through her wedding photos taken less than one month before. I noticed the amazingly huge wedding cake. Brenda let me know that their wedding had been a sober wedding and that they had to have cake for everyone. We started the interview. Brenda discussed her journey as a meth addict, and felon. Brenda had my attention as she described addiction, theft and eventually Cancer. In and out of prison, Brenda brought me back to her point, her lessons, and her truth. Brenda is sober and legal today. Her point about fear was a message I had heard in the stories of others on this journey, that you help other people. Fear can expose you to love and some people walk away with a strong sense to help others after facing their fear.
Brenda doesn’t have her license and isn’t allowed to drive. She bikes or buses to work everyday. Even with the hassles, weather and distance, she says she feels free. She feels freedom with family, friendships and inside herself in a way that drugs never made her feel. I listened and could see the joy in Brenda’s expressions. I was wondering, does fear go away when we surrender to other people in our life and become open to consequences? I was thankful Brenda took the time to pass on her story to me.
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I was Brenda's photagrapher for her wedding. At her reception is when I found out she is a recovering addict. Although I didn't know her whole story, the speech she gave after receiving 3 sobriety medallions from friends at the reception moved me. From coming from the "bottom of the barrel" to standing on the alter that day as a beautiful bride is amazing. You can tell Brenda is someone who loves life and is a good person. I overshot the number of photos I usually include and gave all of them to her. I enjoyed doing this for her probabaly more than she enjoyed receiving them. She's inspired me to give more of myself to others and help me remember difficult times in life cannot be taken on alone, but with the help from God, family and friends, anything is possible. Congratulations Brenda!
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