Our beloved Dr. MacAfee said: For the addict, an opening to recovery appears when the pain of maintaining the fiction becomes greater than the pleasure the drugs provide.
My reflection: The Big Book calls this moment, “The Gift of Desperation.” When my son was in active addiction, I thought that I could gauge when these breaks occurred in his life, when the pain had reached critical junctures, and when he would be open to professional help. I never could.
Today’s Promise to consider: Dr. MacAfee’s words proved true with my son, who told me that he chose sobriety when the consequences of his addiction outweighed the solace he got from drugs. For Jeff, his fourteen-year addiction took him to the crossroads of continuing drugs or dying. I thank God every day that he chose recovery, and I pray for all those who continue to suffer.
And this is when simply loving them and trusting in our and their Higher Power must unfold. I had to let go of the worry, the doubt, the fear and let him be and live his own life. I learned that it is possible to free myself of the anger and still have a loving relationship with our son.
Mindy, Your words are filled with love and compassion. Thank you for writing. You’re right — we need to free ourselves of the anger while still loving our children. God bless you and your son. Thanks for sharing.