to all the good times that I have longed for all these years and didn't get.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to joy in this life, right here, right now - not just a momentary rush of euphoria but something more substantive.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to relax and have fun in a non-destructive way.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to actively pursue people, places, and situations that will help me in achieving a good life.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to say no whenever I feel something is not safe or I am not ready.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to not participate in either the active or passive "crazy-making" behaviors of parents, of siblings, and of others.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to take calculated risks and to experiment with new strategies.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to change my tune, my strategy, and my funny equations.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to "mess up", to make mistakes, to "blow it", to disappoint myself and to fall short of the mark.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to leave the company of people who deliberately or inadvertently put me down, lay a guilt trip on me, manipulate or humiliate me, including my alcoholic parent, my non-alcoholic parent, or any other member of my family.

I HAVE A RIGHT...

to put an end to conversations with people who make me feel put down and humiliated.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to all my feelings.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to trust my feelings, my judgment, my hunches, my intuition.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to develop myself as a whole person emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically and psychologically.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to express all my feelings in a nondestructive way and at a safe time and place.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to as much time as I need to experiment with this new information and these new ideas and to initiate changes in my life.

I HAVE A RIGHT ...

to carve out my place in this world.