Filling My Tank

This is what it takes for me to continue the fight against the monster. None of us can continue this battle no matter if our loved one is active or clear and sober without fuel.

The fuel we require is a fuel for the soul. Yesterday and today I got my tank filled.

Last night I posted an innocuous comment to a Facebook post and linked my blog. Shortly I got a message from someone asking if I could help. The messenger had a problem and knew it but no one else knew. That person confided in a total stranger and ask for help after reading a few posts on my blog. I provided some info and a phone number to reach some professionals whom I trust. Today was to be her first day on a new path.

Today I received an email with comments and appreciation from the college students that provided the questions I answered. I will copy their comments here:

Ron,

I met with my class last Thursday and had students work in groups in writing a response to your answers; here are their responses:

1)    We want to thank you for spending your time to write to our questions.  Seeing that your son now has a child to care and live for, we are sure he is very appreciative for all that you have done for him.  Now that he’s a father he has a sense of what kind of pain you and your wife have gone through and he is very thankful for your support through hard times!

2)    We know it must have been hard for you to talk about this but, nonetheless, we thank you for enlightening us through your perspective.

3)    Dear Ron, my name is *********** and I would like to take the time to let you know that I truly appreciated your responses to our questions.  To be honest, my friend ****** was also at one time a heroin addict.  I clearly apologize if we brought back memories that were in the past.  My friend ****** and I would always think of what the parents must feel. Thanks to your response, and your blogs we and many others can learn about how to beat addiction.  I truly pray that all parents and addicts read your blogs in hopes of finding guidance.  Once again, thank you and God bless you.

4)    Thank you for providing feedback on this sensitive topic.  I am glad that you found the strength to answer these questions and that your son was able to get clean.  By the way, we thought your writing is awesome!

5)    First of all, we just want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time out of your day to respond to these questions as we know that these questions were sensitive to answer.  We really liked what you were saying about lifeboats as we believe that to be true.  Your son sounds like he is doing a lot better now and we wish you both good luck in the future.

Thank you again, Ron, for responding to my class’s questions.  I really appreciate it!

Susan Winslow

This is what fills my tank and gives me the energy to go forward.

Break the stigma. Stand up for help, grasp an outstretched hand. Educate yourself and pass it along, you never know who you may touch.