My daughter invited me to go to her HA (heroin anonymous) meeting last night to see her get her two year chip. I told her I wouldn't miss it.
I strongly encourage you to go to an open AA, NA, HA, or any 12-step meeting. The thought of going to a meeting of 75 heroin addicts can be daunting but I have never been in an atmosphere that was so encouraging, accepting, and loving as the meeting I went to last night. When you walk in the room, you just feel welcomed. Yes, the language can be very rough and the stories can be disturbing, but everyone in there is there for one reason . . . they want to be sober. They are tired of living a druggie lifestyle. They talk about how the steps and their sponsors have changed their lives and gave them the strength to stay sober.
The most wonderful part of the meeting was when they were handing out the chips. Seeing the people come forward for the white chip which signaled that they had relapsed but wanted to try again, or the 30- 60-90 day chip was so moving. One of my daughter's friend's picked up the 6-month chip and his face just glowed. Then it was time for the "birthday" chips. One of the women that had been in sober living with my daughter and is now one of her closest friends got up to present the chip. She talked about how L had been at the beginning where she just stayed on her computer all of the time and wouldn't interact and then watching my daughter start working the program and opening up to the idea of true recovery. She said L had become one of her closest friends and how poised and gracious L was to all. She said that L had a passion for her beliefs and that L had helped this woman become a better person.
Okay, by then I was crying. L talked next. She described how the second year of sobriety was harder than the first because the first year was in sober living where she was held accountable. She had always relapsed in the past when she left sober living but she had worked the program and it helped her stay sober. She thanked the people in her life that encouraged her and were there for her in times of need. Then she said that her mom was there to see her celebrate this milestone and how much that meant to her.
Tears were now running down my cheeks at this point. She came back over to where we were sitting and she gave me a big hug. I told her that I truly never thought I would see this day and how proud I was of her.
I tell you all this to let you know that there is hope for all of our loved ones. My daughter did all of the things that addicts do. She lied to us, stole from us, manipulated us, overdosed several times, and I truly thought she would be dead by now.
So there is always hope but it is not easy. You have to learn to set boundaries and let go and let God. When we finally did that, my daughter came back to us.
~Kathy
I strongly encourage you to go to an open AA, NA, HA, or any 12-step meeting. The thought of going to a meeting of 75 heroin addicts can be daunting but I have never been in an atmosphere that was so encouraging, accepting, and loving as the meeting I went to last night. When you walk in the room, you just feel welcomed. Yes, the language can be very rough and the stories can be disturbing, but everyone in there is there for one reason . . . they want to be sober. They are tired of living a druggie lifestyle. They talk about how the steps and their sponsors have changed their lives and gave them the strength to stay sober.
The most wonderful part of the meeting was when they were handing out the chips. Seeing the people come forward for the white chip which signaled that they had relapsed but wanted to try again, or the 30- 60-90 day chip was so moving. One of my daughter's friend's picked up the 6-month chip and his face just glowed. Then it was time for the "birthday" chips. One of the women that had been in sober living with my daughter and is now one of her closest friends got up to present the chip. She talked about how L had been at the beginning where she just stayed on her computer all of the time and wouldn't interact and then watching my daughter start working the program and opening up to the idea of true recovery. She said L had become one of her closest friends and how poised and gracious L was to all. She said that L had a passion for her beliefs and that L had helped this woman become a better person.
Okay, by then I was crying. L talked next. She described how the second year of sobriety was harder than the first because the first year was in sober living where she was held accountable. She had always relapsed in the past when she left sober living but she had worked the program and it helped her stay sober. She thanked the people in her life that encouraged her and were there for her in times of need. Then she said that her mom was there to see her celebrate this milestone and how much that meant to her.
Tears were now running down my cheeks at this point. She came back over to where we were sitting and she gave me a big hug. I told her that I truly never thought I would see this day and how proud I was of her.
I tell you all this to let you know that there is hope for all of our loved ones. My daughter did all of the things that addicts do. She lied to us, stole from us, manipulated us, overdosed several times, and I truly thought she would be dead by now.
So there is always hope but it is not easy. You have to learn to set boundaries and let go and let God. When we finally did that, my daughter came back to us.
~Kathy