Apr 15, 2023·edited Apr 15, 2023Liked by Holly Rabalais
Oh, Holly, such a delightful post about such a wonderful achievement! Go, Jonah, for all of your hard work, and go, Holly, Jonah and family for your equal strength and steel in this journey you're all on together. I'm so glad I found you on Substack, and have had the privilege and joy of sharing in your story - yours, Jonah, and yours too, Holly. Such bright lights for the future, such meaningful reflections of the past. You're a great team. A wonderful story for a wonderful family. I know the hard work continues, don't get me wrong, but heck, all of you, you're NAILING this. You're AWESOME. Love, love, love from across the pond. You're all amazing, and I hope that you know it. ♥️♥️♥️
What a celebration and please thank Jonah for sharing his words with us. You are helping so many Holly by sharing your stories. Thank you. Sending hugs and love from up north!
He is having such fun with his work, and I’m so grateful for that. He’s found a wonderful family-owned business where they treat him like family, and there us a future there. I could not be happier that he has discovered this craft!
I don't think I could be any happier than I am for the WORK that Jonah put in and continues to put into being the person he wants to be in life. Holly, I am also holding you so close as a fellow Mom, for all we want, is for our children to be in a place of growth, health, and happiness.
So very happy to hear of Jonah's success! I can only imagine how full your heart is. Jonah's message can serve as courage and inspiration for others...continued blessings to everyone!
What an achievement! And, what a good reason to celebrate! Jonah -- please know that you have permission to feel very, very proud of yourself. Holly, I am newer here so not aware of this story before now, but I also applaud your courage in sharing this journey from your lens. Well done, mama!
Thank you, Elizabeth! Listening to everyone speak at the ceremony, telling Jonah how he has impacted them was fantastic! I think it’s easy for him to want to shy away from the pride of his accomplishments, but you are so right!
Wonderful news! I was elated when I saw the sub headline! Congratulations to Jonah for his perseverance, to the program for its success, and to your family for your love and patience to see him through it.
Blessings to you and to Jonah. He has made a great first step into a life of sobriety. Addiction is composed of invisible chains that we wrap around ourselves; the longer one can spend free of mind-altering substances, the clearer the chains become even as they melt away. I have been sober 37 years, but consider even a sober afternoon for many to be a triumph. He will find that being sober is 10 times more rewarding, interesting and more fun than using. It saved me when I was 28, and I have been sober longer than I was alive at the time. I am cheering on you and your family!
He already is finding sobriety so much more rewarding and fun--he really is finally enjoying life after so many years of being in those chains you speak of. Thanks for the continued encouragement. I know he is reading.
My hearty compliments and congratulations to Jonah on taking himself through this journey. And to you Holly, for being a rock solid pillar of support.
I resonated with the part where Jonah said that he would rather understand himself than be understood by others. It takes people an entire lifetime to get to such a point. Congratulations on finding it for yourself at 20. You're amazing!
This part of Jonah’s words struck me so deeply, “I’m at a point in life where I would rather understand my journey than it be understood by others.” And by struck me deeply, I mean it made me weepy. I just wrote about my own sobriety this week and spoke of something very similar—about how I needed to be the one who understood—and reading those words of his felt like a lightning bolt from the universe ⚡️ Thank you both for being willing to share. It touches and reaches. 💜
I just read your post, Kaitlyn, and it is beautiful! Please post the link here in case anyone stumbles across this comment thread. I’m so glad you are the one who understands yourself, even if no one else even knows about your choice to stop drinking alcohol. Our stories matter—it’s where we find that we really aren’t so alone in our struggles!
Oh, Holly, such a delightful post about such a wonderful achievement! Go, Jonah, for all of your hard work, and go, Holly, Jonah and family for your equal strength and steel in this journey you're all on together. I'm so glad I found you on Substack, and have had the privilege and joy of sharing in your story - yours, Jonah, and yours too, Holly. Such bright lights for the future, such meaningful reflections of the past. You're a great team. A wonderful story for a wonderful family. I know the hard work continues, don't get me wrong, but heck, all of you, you're NAILING this. You're AWESOME. Love, love, love from across the pond. You're all amazing, and I hope that you know it. ♥️♥️♥️
❤️
Go Jonah! You are making a difference in this world. What great words! Thanks, Holly, for bringing us in with you!
❤️
What a celebration and please thank Jonah for sharing his words with us. You are helping so many Holly by sharing your stories. Thank you. Sending hugs and love from up north!
❤️
Congratulations to Jonah!! Sending love to your whole family as you celebrate this incredible moment. xoxo
❤️
Please pass along my congrats to Jonah! It’s a long road and a lot of work, but every day is a win.
Separately, body/paint work is a great trade to learn! No shortage of work either.
He is having such fun with his work, and I’m so grateful for that. He’s found a wonderful family-owned business where they treat him like family, and there us a future there. I could not be happier that he has discovered this craft!
I don't think I could be any happier than I am for the WORK that Jonah put in and continues to put into being the person he wants to be in life. Holly, I am also holding you so close as a fellow Mom, for all we want, is for our children to be in a place of growth, health, and happiness.
Thank you for being here through this journey!
So very happy to hear of Jonah's success! I can only imagine how full your heart is. Jonah's message can serve as courage and inspiration for others...continued blessings to everyone!
❤️
What an achievement! And, what a good reason to celebrate! Jonah -- please know that you have permission to feel very, very proud of yourself. Holly, I am newer here so not aware of this story before now, but I also applaud your courage in sharing this journey from your lens. Well done, mama!
Thank you, Elizabeth! Listening to everyone speak at the ceremony, telling Jonah how he has impacted them was fantastic! I think it’s easy for him to want to shy away from the pride of his accomplishments, but you are so right!
Lovely, so happy for Jonah and his mama!! ❤️
❤️
Wonderful news! I was elated when I saw the sub headline! Congratulations to Jonah for his perseverance, to the program for its success, and to your family for your love and patience to see him through it.
❤️
Jonah's words paint a vivid picture of the struggle that leads to recovery. Very moving!
I’m one very proud mama!
Blessings to you and to Jonah. He has made a great first step into a life of sobriety. Addiction is composed of invisible chains that we wrap around ourselves; the longer one can spend free of mind-altering substances, the clearer the chains become even as they melt away. I have been sober 37 years, but consider even a sober afternoon for many to be a triumph. He will find that being sober is 10 times more rewarding, interesting and more fun than using. It saved me when I was 28, and I have been sober longer than I was alive at the time. I am cheering on you and your family!
He already is finding sobriety so much more rewarding and fun--he really is finally enjoying life after so many years of being in those chains you speak of. Thanks for the continued encouragement. I know he is reading.
My hearty compliments and congratulations to Jonah on taking himself through this journey. And to you Holly, for being a rock solid pillar of support.
I resonated with the part where Jonah said that he would rather understand himself than be understood by others. It takes people an entire lifetime to get to such a point. Congratulations on finding it for yourself at 20. You're amazing!
Here's a short verse for Jonah:
.
____
I walked the path,
I swam the sea,
The truth was what I sought.
But then I sat to think a bit,
and the truth was in my thoughts.
____
All the best for a bright future! ❤️
Awesome, dude!
Awesome dude!
And family and friends, too.
Onward... ❤️
Thanks, Daniel. So thankful for all the encouragers! (And I know he is, too as he reads all these comments!)
This part of Jonah’s words struck me so deeply, “I’m at a point in life where I would rather understand my journey than it be understood by others.” And by struck me deeply, I mean it made me weepy. I just wrote about my own sobriety this week and spoke of something very similar—about how I needed to be the one who understood—and reading those words of his felt like a lightning bolt from the universe ⚡️ Thank you both for being willing to share. It touches and reaches. 💜
I just read your post, Kaitlyn, and it is beautiful! Please post the link here in case anyone stumbles across this comment thread. I’m so glad you are the one who understands yourself, even if no one else even knows about your choice to stop drinking alcohol. Our stories matter—it’s where we find that we really aren’t so alone in our struggles!
Jeepers. Thank you for checking it out. 🙏🏼
Here is the link 🔗
https://open.substack.com/pub/soberapp/p/what-others-couldnt-see-may-have?r=2pbwwb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
How wonderful!! 🌟🙌🎉🙌🌟
Jonah looks so happy. He has truly done the work!! I rejoice with you and your family! 🧡🙏🔆