To recovering 80s kid Amy Liz Harrison, getting sober and giving birth were shockingly similar. And she's uniquely qualified to know since she's been sober for over a decade and has given birth to eight children (yes, you read the sentence correctly).
Grounded by life as a young teacher turned stay-at-home mom to four kids, Harrison watched her husband's career soar. He gained altitude, earning promotions and relocating the family as he struggled with excess baggage. Depression, isolation, boredom and a devastating crisis of faith led to extra glasses (or bottles) of wine at the end of the day. Which eventually led to being handcuffed and a night in jail for driving while intoxicated.
Ten years of sobriety and four more babies later, Harrison realized that giving birth and getting sober were kinda similar. In some ways, her story is unique (really, who has eight kids these days?), but it's also the experience of many other travelers. People get sober and transform their lives. Jet lag, childbirth or alcoholism-they all require recovery. Try not to gasp through Harrison's wild trip from Bay Area adolescent to young mother to incarcerated drunk and ultimately to the epiphany that if she gives her health and recovery priority boarding, she can eternally expect everything else in her life to fly first class.
