We Are The Luckiest – by Laura McKowen
For some reason, I resisted reading We Are The Luckiest by Laura McKowen. And I’m not sure why.
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I follow her on Instagram but never really felt like I knew a whole lot about her.
Maybe I felt like she would be too intimidating. Too perfect. A shining example of a woman who has it all figured out and is surviving in sobriety.
I guess I didn’t know if I would connect with her or could relate to what she would have to share. By the way, this says way more about me than it says about Laura.
My insecurities highlighted
I see Laura who has a book deal. She has been sober for years and has a large, loyal following on Instagram. She is close friends with Holly from Tempest. They had a major role in creating this alcohol-free revolution for women to embrace. And it can come across as seeing these women as perfect and having it all.
It’s hard for me to relate to seemingly “perfect” people because I’m so, so very far away from that. Honestly, even while typing this, I should know better than to look at someone’s Instagram account or professional successes and think I’ve got them all figured out.
Are you still with me? Or have I shared too much?
O.K. enough about me and my insecurities.
I loved We Are The Luckiest
I loved this book from the introduction (which I usually skip). The first page, the initial sentence and the quote that kicked off the first chapter all worked to suck me in. The very first time I had to stop reading it to tend to other things, I got upset to leave my place. I always think that’s the sign of a great book.
I don’t give a lot of books a chance. A virtual graveyard exists of all the books I’ve purchased and left abandoned in my Kindle app. I’m quick to just move on to the next book on my list if the first few pages don’t capture my attention. It’s sad but true.
Why did I love We Are The Luckiest? For the way Laura’s words made me FEEL. I felt so many emotions throughout the book:
- Empathy for what she went through on her journey
- Sympathy for her family and friends, who were affected by her addiction
- Love for her daughter and immediate family members
- Inspiration for me to keep going on my sober journey
Most importantly, I found myself hoping that her words would be able to reach as many women as possible. Her story has the power to motivate others to consider changing their drinking habits to embrace a life worth living.
Personal responsibility + change ain’t always easy
One of the reasons I loved this book so much is that it embraces personal responsibility.
Another theme I noticed throughout the book is the fact that change isn’t always easy.
We can wish for, hope for and pray for change, but ultimately it’s our decisions that lead to creating a new normal for ourselves. We can learn new coping mechanisms and ways to deal with stress or embrace our emotions – but if we don’t actively use them, then they won’t work. If we are watching someone who’s been sober for a long time, it would be a disservice to us to look at the journey and compare it to our own.
I had started writing this several weeks ago but wanted to finish my thoughts about We Are The Luckiest sooner than later. I know many of us are asking for book recommendations to be reading while we stay at home during the pandemic – and, maybe, it’s one more you can add to your list, too. Have you read it? If so, please let me know what you thought! Stay safe.
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