Me!!? REALLY!? Are you sure? Woohoo, Im going to Nelson! On a plane! With some really cool people.

I couldn’t believe it. I think I’d really got into a mindset that there is nothing outside of South Auckland and nothing good ever happens to me. I know. Sounds depressing but when your addictions and mental health have swamped you for so long, hope of things new and fun and character building seem so far away and too much effort to attain.

But it’s not true.

Three more sleeps to go till I would be on a plane with Dave, Rachael, Sheree, Shaz, and Brody going to Nelson. It was the feeling of waiting for Christmas when you are a little kid. How more cooler could it get? Well it really was amazing.

Still can’t believe this was happening to me. Life is hard and the struggles sometimes seem endless and here I was experiencing a “holiday” and the fruits of all the hard work I’ve been putting into recovery.

Walking into the (flash) hotel, I felt like a princess. I had my own room, TV, bath, and wondered why as a single woman would I have bothered to wait for my prince to come, when luxury was in front of me and it had no conditions. (Yep, I know, there is room for both! ha).

The groups I went to at this conference were enlightening and it was a pleasure to be with like minded people. We ate tons of superb food….all the time…..and talked and listened lots.

Massages were delicious on both days. Dining out at one of Nelson’s Malaysian restaurants was a highlight too.

The conference was all about family and healing, and just not focusing on the identified patient but accepting that healing is about incorporating the spiritual, social, physical, mental, psychological and psycho social and Family, as a whole. The speakers were just great and yes, I loved all the free conference stuff stuff (pens , satchel, bathroom smellies, food, company, laughter, deep discussions and fun).

There IS a world outside of south Auckland and being locked into the thought pattern of that my addictions and mental health had stripped me of all life, were wrong. There really are good people out there to get to know, good things to do, and are possible and I am worth it.

Yes life can be hard, well it is, but when you get to have an experience like I did at the Cutting Edge Conference, you realise that the struggle and continuing to work on your own life is very much worth it. I had an amazing time and encourage others to keep looking forward and keep staying involved with good people, cause good things do come and boost us on for living.

Ruth Lowe.