SAINTS IN THE MAKING

Dr. MacAfee and Jeff

Dr. MacAfee and Jeff

Dr. MacAfee explains, The word saint used in the context of addicts is controversial, but there’s an important distinction to be made between recovering addicts and those who are abstaining from drugs. Abstinence is the beginning, the time when the addict puts down the drugs. Recovery is a transformative process when the addict moves, step by step, into living a life of truth. Recovery happens when the addict leaves the hell that he has been living and moves to a place of belonging, of contribution, of coming alive. His defensiveness goes down and he knows that honesty is his only way to health. With this transformation, his humanity starts to emerge.

My reflection: When Dr. MacAfee told me that addicts were saints in the making, Jeff was still sick and had been sick for 14 years. What I heard in Dr. MacAfee’s words was hope. Hope that Jeff would recover and grow to be the person he was meant to be.

Today’s Promise to consider: When our loved one is in active addiction, life is suffocating. But when he decides deep down to recover and takes the diligent steps healing requires, he comes back with a burning desire to be of service to others. He regains his humanity and chooses a life of truth and purpose. In this transformation, he is, to me, a saint in the making.

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pat nichols
pat nichols
7 years ago

Dr. MacAfee is a wise person. The transformation process the Dr. speaks of is truly a miracle to witness. I feel most of us want to know when they can expect to see this miracle in their own child and I have a answer. The transformation begins when the disease of addiction finally wears itself out and this will occur much sooner when we get out of the way of our addicted children. And I have a different perspective on the “choice theory.” I do not believe our addictive children have a choice. Addiction, as a disease, controls their every thought. They have no choice but to follow addiction but eventually the disease wears them out and they have no other path to take but recovery. It’s not that they choose recovery, it’s simply that their was no other path. Once they follow this path the transformation begins to take hold and the God of their understanding becomes their Savior and Guide. Now the doors of recovery begin to swing open and they become embraced into a new reality. One that leads them back to their family and a life of purpose. So, my suggestions to my fellow parents is to try and be very, very quite and very, very patient as our children discover their eventual new life in recovery.

Mary Williams
Mary Williams
7 years ago

Praise God for there is hope .. for addicts and others. We are all works in progress and need each other to reach our potential. Love your reflection, Libby .. as always, very insightful. Mary

aamir syed
aamir syed
7 years ago

thank you for posting, to the both of you.

Pat Nichols
Pat Nichols
7 years ago
Reply to  libbycataldi

Thanks so much Libby for following up and sharing Dr. MacAfee insights.

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