Laura Chapman Writes

Welcome to Joy Reclaimed! I’m so happy you stopped by.

My blog is dedicated to sharing how I choose joy in a life I never would have chosen but now treasure as an amazing gift. 

I am a lover of reading, writing, sparkly things and whatever purrs, barks or flies. Former helicopter mom, co-dependent and enabler, I am now addicted to walking, my family and my iWatch. Teacher by day and writer by night, I am the one learning the most and I plan to keep it up until I get it right. Choosing joy one day at a time and sharing my journey so others can see why joy might not be found if we don’t look for it. 

As a “Life Happens” survivor raising my six year old grandson, I walked in the shoes of “Why can’t I have a normal life?” until I realized normal really is just a setting on the dryer. Sadly, nobody (doesn’t matter how perfect their lives look from the outside) is immune.

My Life Happens was the tragedy of addiction in my family. In an instant, one phone call broadsided my perfect life. Finding the way back again became my focus and obsession for too many years. But I failed miserably and found myself trapped in a place I never wanted to be. My “Aha!” moment was realizing the only thing I really had power to change was me and this was where my recover and a new journey to reclaim my joy began.

I’ve shared my experiences in two publications: as a contributing author for Aloha, The Message of Hawaii and as a co-author of Unexpected Heroes: Stories of Love and Sacrifice in the Face of Addiction.  I also reach out to support others who walk in my shoes as co-founder of non-profit organizations, Families in the Fire and Zachary’s Closet. 

John 10:10

Genesis 50:20