Before I decided
that I’d like to make a change in my life, it was very
unmanageable. My drug of choice was methamphetamine. I
couldn’t function without the drug; everything was
always everybody else’s fault. I couldn’t keep a job, I
was really defiant - I was a thief. I was a cheat.
Growing up my mom
was a single parent; she had me and my brother. She
worked two jobs and went to nursing school. My
grandparents basically took care of us all the time. I’d
see my mom study a lot. Making ends meet, giving us
whatever she could give us, but most importantly that
love -it was unconditional. She did everything in the
world for us. I do not know to this day, I don’t
understand why I decided to go that way in life.
This was my second
time here [at Crossroads Mission]. The first time I came
for a lot of wrong reasons. I had no intentions of
trying to change. The second time here was by my own
will. I was thru; I was so tired of feeling tired. I
told them that I would give it 110 percent and I did. I
did whatever it would take to give me a different life.
I was just out of gas, I was so tired. That’s how sick
and tired I was of being in the position that I was.
A big part of my
program is my higher power, my understanding of God. I
am a born and raised Catholic. I went to a catholic
school, altar boy, the whole works. When I got into my
drug addiction we kind of split ways. My understanding
of God might be different than other people but this is
where I found my Higher Power through these walls at
Crossroads Mission.
I have an awesome
relationship with my family. It’s not all about me
anymore. I have a beautiful wife, five kids, they are my
life. It used to be before I was in my selfish
addiction, everything was about me. Now my family comes
before anybody and there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do
for them, nothing that I wouldn’t go without just to
have them with me.
I’ve been employed
for over 4.5 years, I have a good job, it’s a government
job, I have excellent benefits, paid vacations- I have
everything - everything that I never had before and I am
so grateful.
The 8th of March
was my 5 years clean and sober. I remember not being
able to even stay clean three months. It was one day at
a time. If I started thinking ahead I’d overwhelmed
myself. I have to live day by day. I have been very
fortunate to get a second chance at life and I am taking
total advantage of it.
HIS MESSAGE TO
ADDICTS: Give the
program a chance, take the opportunity, and give 110
percent. It’s like being a baby. You’ve got to learn how
to crawl; you’ve got to learn how to walk again. We have
forgotten, as addicts, so much and you need to learn it
all over again.
TO THE COMMUNITY:
When I was in this program the homeless was one of the
things that humbled me the most. So many people that
have nowhere to go. Some of them don’t have families,
they have nothing. Just humble yourself a little bit and
try to do the right thing.
