We had lunch yesterday with new friends. We talked about the usual things--work, families, interests. Meeting new people and finding common themes in our lives is one of the pleasures of moving to a new city. And once again the struggles with drug addiction were a common theme.
Our new friends, Jennifer and Carl, are in their second marriages. Jennifer's adult son died of alcoholism. He was home alone, drank too much, passed out, choked on his own vomit and died. Carl's daughter married a drug addict, became one herself; her husband shot himself'; the daughter got into recovery and is now a addictions counselor. Our new friends raised her son--their grandson. It's everywhere!
My husband's sister was raising her grandson, son of an addict, when she died last summer. It's everywhere!
As I mentioned in a recent blog, 5 of the 6 people in our monthly grief group acknowledged being impacted by addiction-either their own or a family member. It's everywhere!
Recently the newspaper reported that in New Hampshire, the most important political topic in these primary election races is the issue of drug addiction---prescription drugs, alcohol, heroin. Not ISIS, not the economy; not a candidates life story, Addiction! It's everywhere!
Those of us who acknowledge addiction/alcoholism as being an issue in our lives are the fortunate ones. At least we acknowledge it. Whether it be our own struggle or the struggle of someone we love, with acknowledgement comes the opportunity to make choices. The choices can be difficult. Sometimes we have to make the recovery choice over and over---the struggle continues.
Are we thankful for that choice? Every day do we thank God for the opportunity to do the "loving thing?"---make the loving choice---the loving choice for ourselves and for those we love?
Blessings--Penny
No comments:
Post a Comment