A young woman wrote to me: Libby, something important struck me when I read this line you wrote – ‘My child’s addiction is not against me. He is trapped in the disease and, although it doesn’t always look like it, he loathes the life he is living.’ If I replace child with father, this is one of the most impactful and life-altering realizations that helped me heal my relationship with my dad. I saw that he was trapped in a disease rather than deliberately choosing drugs over family.
My reflection: Addiction’s tentacles strangle all of us: children, brothers, sisters, parents, and loved ones. We, as a recovering community, have an obligation to reach out our hands to all those impacted from the effects of this disease.
Today’s Promise: Children of addicted parents, siblings of addicted children, and all those in pain need our support. Our loved ones are alive, under the drugs. My son once told me, “Society loathes addicts, and addicts loathe themselves.” Today, let us not take addiction personally. Let us face it with compassion and take it out of the shadows and into the light where it can be healed.
So true Libby, addiction is a disease that affects the entire family of the addict. My husband & I lead a support group for the families called Finding Hope. We see it’s affects each and every meeting with those loved ones. Thank you for these meditations and thoughts. God bless!
God bless you and your husband, Jan. You are doing important work. Thank you for all you are doing. xo
Thank you for this! I love your inspiration and read it every Thursday. My son is incarcerated for drug possession and I sign my letters to him with Stagli Vicino, Love Mom.
Dear Carrie, What a touching message — you sign your letters to your son ‘Stagli Vicino.’ This is all we can do – Stay Close with love. My love to you and your son.
Someday, a sanctuary for exhausted loved ones. We need safe places to just be. Love to all.
Dearest Joy, Yes, you are so right — we need a sanctuary for exhausted loved ones. I guess, until that happens, we have to find that place in ourselves and with the people who understand our journey. xoxo
Thanks for sharing this wisdom, so important to understand.
Thanks, Pat. We share and reach out our hands.