I spoke at a rehab last night, and it was my first time inside of one. Wow was it heart wrenching...65 addicts and only a handful shared after I spoke. At the end when there was 10 minutes left and no one would speak up, I wrapped up by saying there was no magic words I could share that would fix their problems.
This is a program of recovery that starts with you, but can't be done on your own. When you all walk out of here your DOC will be staring you in the face. The only way you can break this cycle of decline is to get involved with the rooms...I felt if I lectured them, or accused any of faking it that it would not help. I know it's got to be recovery in their own time. All I could do was let them know they could stop using, lose the desire to use, and find a new way of life that was better then they ever thought possible.
I prayed for them all this morning, and hope I made a difference in at least one addicts recovery!
If you made a difference in one addicts recovery last night, you can die a happy man. My memories of living inside the walls of a rehab center are still fresh. I was in with over 60 people. Out of that 60, I have only seen one other person inside the rooms since I have come home. It is heartbreaking to see how deep denial runs in the world of the average addict. I met a girl there detoxing from heroin. She made sure to tell us over and over that it was not her that had a problem, it was the drugs. Even the people that I became quite close with only managed to last a week before they were back using again. The thing I learned was this. In that setting, there are very few people that have gone their of their own free will. It is a very small handful that truly want to change. The rest, for now, are there for their kids, husbands, parents, wives..... We all know that it has to be us and our bottom before we are ready to try a new way.
Hopefully, your experiance touched someone last night..... One person at a time. Right?
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Yes, I bought a ticket on the crazy train.....Good thing it was a return ticket.
Thanks for serving Dave. I am a part of a sponsorship family here that does three things: we make meetings, we work steps, and we do service. It's what I was taught, almost like being raised a certain way always sticks with you. I have been a member of H&I since I had 90 days and love to go to facilities and share. It definitely helps me stay clean and also helps my self-esteem. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.
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"With a sweet tongue of kindness, you can drag an elephant by a hair." ~Persian Proverb
thanks for being there dave, i went to rehab in 85. after several relapses and all these years ( decades) later, i still remember the speakers. thanks for your service.
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" If you have built castles in the air , your work need not be lost ; that is where they should be . Now put the foundations under them . "
Dave, I know the sadness of those ten minutes when nobody would speak up after you shared. My sister overdosed on heroin (I used to snort it with her; it's only a miracle I could walk away from it but she used several times a day) and now, even now, her son is hooked on it (and other drugs). The last time he spent time with me, I just told him I keep myself busy with yardwork and am happy with that, but he left early (I'm sure to get back to whatever drugs he could find).
I'd do anything to help him. All I can do is hope to attract him to a clean life.
Keep up the good work.
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I think people are full of guile.....I enjoy that.
The first time I shared (around a year clean) I was in the only women's prison in the state, in front of about 150+ women. After I was done a couple ladies commented, and after they left the room I just started sobbing...like convulsive sobbing. I love H&I and I doubt that'll change in me either.
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"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." ~Oscar Wilde~
