My Mind Map 

March 4, 2017 

3:00 PM

The pivotal moments of my life have shaped me into the woman that I am today; everything that has happened: good, bad, and indifferent had an impact on me, whether I was willing to see or acknowledge those pivotal moments or not. I would not change one event in my life as it would have altered my journey.

My name is Eva Maggie Gregg. I was born and raised in Kotzebue, Alaska. My parents are Clinton and Sarah Gregg. My father's mother was Laura Gregg who married Elmer Davis. My mother's mother was Eva Luther who married Daniel Snyder. I am the third child of seven children from my parents. Three of those children were adopted into our family. Our experiences made us all family.

I was slow to learn in the first years of school which made me a target to be bullied. I endured the school bullying from 1st grade to 5th grade when I finally stood up for myself. In that pivotal moment, I was free from those 4 girls. When I was in 7th grade, I was invited to a party at the local teenage hangout. It was at this party that I had my first alcoholic beverage and within three and half hours, I was in an alcoholic blackout. One of the worse pivotal moments for me. I had others similiar to that over the next 30 years.

Eventually, my actions and inactions had me in the Office of Children Services. This was the most profound pivotal moment in my life because when I introduced myself; I said, "Hi, my name is Eva and I am an alcoholic addict and I need help". Long story short, I was to get an assessment at a treatment center, give urine samples, attend five AA/NA meetings a week. Suffice to say, I have been sober and clean since December 7, 2009. That day was another pivotal moment for me.

December 5, 2010 was another pivotal moment in my life as that day was the death of my daughter's father. He was my best friend. I thought I would relapse upon the death of a loved one but I did not which surprised me.

In December of 2012, I was washing the dinner dishes while I was looking out the window and contemplating why I had survived over 30 years of excessive alcoholism and drug dependency as well as traumtic experiences that go hand in hand with said lifestyle. My next pivotal moment was I had survived all that so that I could help other alcoholics and addicts who wish to live better lives and were willing to work hard like I had worked hard to be living the life that I live today. I am a full time college student at UAA, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. I will continue to have more pivotal moments in my life.....

"My story will die if I don't tell it" I said this at the end of my ePortfolio presentation July 12, 2016 at Native Student Services Native Cultural Identity Gathering at University of Alaska, Anchorage.