ON MOTHER’S DAY

I once asked Jeff a ‘mother’ question, not a great question, but I asked: “Didn’t you see how you were hurting yourself and the people who love you? Didn’t you want to stop all the chaos like arrests and near death? Jeff, why didn’t you stop?”

He looked at me, weary, and sighed, “You still don’t get it, do you? After writing this entire book, you still don’t understand that I never wanted to hurt you – I wanted to protect you from all of it, to keep you out of it and to the side. You’ve written about me at my worst, my most vulnerable, my most desperate. I’m an addict. I was addicted. An addict doesn’t want to hurt those he loves, but he can’t stop using drugs – oftentimes until death.”

Today’s Promise to consider: Addicts don’t want to hurt us – their mothers, fathers, brothers, or sisters. Drugs are powerful, and they take our addicted loved ones under, under into chaos and desperation. I will remember that addiction smashes love. Today, I’ll keep loving my child who is under the drugs.

3703
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

8 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
shelley steinley
5 years ago

perfect for today. Thank you Libby. You and your family are heros in my life. This is so good. Jeffs words so good. Thank you for reminding us it’s not our children but the drugs that destroy.

Pat Nichols
5 years ago

So true Libby yet so hard to understand all the emotional complexities that the disease creates!

Mindy
Mindy
5 years ago

This is truly a battle they must fight for themselves. We can be on the sidelines, cheering them on, but we are powerless otherwise.

Karen
Karen
5 years ago

Thank you Libby and Jeff for sharing your stories every week
Have a blessed Mother’s Day