HEALING IS HARD

HEALING IS HARD
Original Poem by Jack McGuire

Not drinking is hard.

Healing is hard.
Growing is hard.
Being emotionally strong is hard.
Owning my mistakes and forgiving others is hard.
Being a parent is hard.
Some days, just waking up is hard.
Communicating is hard.
Being the example I want my kids to follow is hard.
Showing up for everyone all the time is hard.
Letting myself cry is hard.
And yeah… not having that drink is still hard.

But here’s the truth--
The ‘hard’ is where the wins are.

Not drinking means I’m choosing to live longer for my kids and my wife.
Healing means I’m breaking cycles instead of repeating them.
Learning to express my emotions means I’m not letting pain control the room.
Forgiving means I’m setting myself free.
Parenting—while still hard—is the most rewarding fight I’ll ever show up for.

So yeah, life’s hard.
But I’m done focusing on the weight of it.
I’m choosing the worth of it.
Because in a world full of hard things…
I choose to see the good.
I choose to fight forward.
I choose to stay aware.
I choose the positive view.
I choose love. ∎