Good evening, everyone.
My name is Karen, but you can call me Karr. Thank you for letting me share tonight.
Standing here holding these chips, I don’t just see milestones. I see every tear, every setback, every prayer, every moment I wanted to give up—and every moment I chose not to.
There was a time when I didn’t know if I would ever make it this far. There were days when addiction told me I wasn’t strong enough, that I would never change, and that this was all my life would ever be.
But addiction lied.
This “Just for Today” chip reminds me that I don’t have to fight tomorrow’s battle today. I don’t have to promise forever. I only have to stay clean today. One day may seem small, but enough “just for todays” become weeks, then months, and eventually a whole new life.
My Six Months chip isn’t just six months on a calendar. It’s six months of choosing hope instead of hopelessness. Six months of getting back up when I wanted to stay down. Six months of healing relationships, rebuilding trust, and learning to love myself a little more each day.
Recovery hasn’t made my life perfect. I still have hard days. I still face fear, pain, and uncertainty. The difference is that today, I don’t have to face them alone. Today I have people who understand me, who believe in me, and who remind me that asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness.
If you’re sitting here tonight wondering if recovery is possible, I’m here to tell you that it is. If you’re hanging on by a thread, keep hanging on. Let this room carry you until you can carry yourself.
Because one day, you’ll look back and realize that the day you almost gave up became the day everything started to change.
To everyone who has supported me, prayed for me, encouraged me, and never stopped believing in me—thank you. You helped me find hope when I couldn’t see it for myself.
Today, I don’t celebrate because life is easy.
I celebrate because I didn’t quit.
I celebrate because I’m still here.
I celebrate because recovery gave me something addiction never could—a future.
I’m proud of how far I’ve come, grateful for where I am today, and excited for where this journey will take me.
No matter what tomorrow brings, I know one thing is true:
As long as I keep coming back, I never have to walk this road alone.
Thank you for letting me share.
One day at a time. 