lovin' you

image credit: ryan mcginley

one of the most valuable blessings to come out of getting clean is the resurrection of my relationships with my family and friends. it is not an easy journey either, but it is well worth the trouble. there is so much collateral damage in lives of the people we love when we become addicts. family and friends deserve to heal, too. if you are the friend or relative of someone with a meth addiction, there is some great information and referral sources listed at www.strenghtoverspeed.org



a letter from strength over speed:

A Sister's Letter...

Over the past 15 years or so my brother has been in and out of drug use. At times it was extremely difficult to watch him take the paths that he has chosen. I have been to the point many times of wondering if this nightmare would ever end. The pain a family experiences due to this situation is indescribable. I love my brother so much it literally made life in general depressing for me. Seeing what he was going through and wondering why. Wishing I could do something to make it all go away.

Over the last year things have been different. Not just doing well this time, but genuinely different. All the times he would do good for a short period of time thinking this time would be different and then have him go back to drugs made it hard for me not to be skeptical of this time being different. After a few months of seeing him on the right path I started to notice drastic improvements. He no longer lashed out at me when we talked if I said something that wasn't what he wanted to hear. He kept calm and said, "I understand where you are coming from and appreciate your concern". I thought I was dreaming for a while until it kept happening. I have my brother again. I can talk to him and confide in him. I can speak my true heartfelt concerns and have him know that I am doing it in love. He has taken huge strides over the last year improving more and more with each passing day. He doesn't blame people any more. He is taking full responsibility for his own actions and even understanding if other people's actions aren't what he would like them to be. I can't even begin to explain how proud I am of my brother. Tears swell in my eyes just thinking about him. I literally shake with the overwhelming emotions I feel as I write this. It means the world to me that he is doing this good all on his own. Not expecting from others and if we do help him out I feel like for the first time that he appreciates anything I do for him. He inspires me and makes me know that people can change. It is possible to maintain a positive lifestyle even with a past as colorful as his or ours as a family. Nothing is unforgivable as long as the person asking for forgiveness is genuine.

We have been through so much and I want you to know that I will never give up on you bubby, I'm so proud of you. Keep it up, I know you were put on this earth to impact people's lives in a positive way and overall you have impacted my life in a positive way. I love you with all my heart.

Your sister,
Alina