National Adult Literacy Database

October 1, 2001

This week, we are launching 9 stories written by learners in Duncan, BC. As a special event you can read the stories and hear some of them.

Play an audio version of this story

Will Power

by Cecile

I am an alcoholic. I grew up around alcohol. I started at the age of eleven or twelve. I drank for some years. I have a lot of problems in my life. I got hurt in all ways, so I just hid it all inside of me and just drank all the time. It's like I had nothing to live for anymore. I got abused by my parents' drinking friends, and by my mother. She used to beat me up, because I didn't do what I was told to do. I was also a young mother to my youngest brother. I had to be around him all the time. If I wasn't I would get in trouble by my mother. I have been in foster homes most of my childhood. I was moved around a lot. My parents would go to court and get me back. One day I was with my parents. The social services came to pick me up. My Mom told them that they can take me until I'm of age. She said I was a bad kid.

When I was younger I used to hit my parents, because I always got hurt by them. So I started hitting back and defended myself. They did not like that. When I was eighteen I had a baby girl, very beautiful girl. I tried to walk out of the hospital with her when she was born. The nurse stopped me and said I had to wait for social services to pick her up. They took her away and that hurt me a lot in my life. I cry for her all the time. They told me I wasn't ready to be a mother. She has been in a foster home for seven years. I had to give her up for adoption, because I drank too much. Someday she will be ready to come back to me. I had a bad past, but I'm gonna make it better for myself by being in school and going to meetings. I will not have that next drink and just think about my health and future.