20 years ago today I was homeless and broke, living in a stolen car, and addicted to both heroin and alcohol. I was totally demoralized and knew that if my life didn't change I was going to end up back in prison, dead, or in a hospital. At that black point in my life I made a decision: I decided to enter a detoxification facility in Mesa, Arizona. It was a watershed moment of my life.

I stayed 11 days. The managers of that facility treated me with dignity, respect, and encouraged me in my efforts to change. I attended 12 step meetings.

After my 11 days were up I was referred to a local halfway house, where I spent the next year. While in that halfway house my primary focus was going to meetings and working on staying sober one day at a time. During this year things began to change for me.

At first I had nothing but the clothes on my back. I worked menial jobs, including day labor and telemarketing. I used public transportation. I walked. Finally I rode a bicycle I bought from a thrift store.

But I was happy. For the first time I realized that I had a problem with any substance I put into my body, including alcohol. I focused on living in the moment, just staying sober one day at a time. I was amazed at how my life changed. The change was slow, but it was a change. For the first time in a long time I had hope and a strange kind of happiness that I hadn't experienced before. Even though there had been times in my life when I was free and didn't drink or do drugs those periods didn't last long. And I didn't have the mindset that goes with working a program. In other words, even though I didn't have substances in my body, I still had the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction in my mind and spirit.

I could go on and on about all the wonderful things that have happened in my life. Today I have a lot of responsibility for the recovery program I started after I was sober for a year. I've accumulated a lot of real estate, which keeps me busy. I have a beautiful woman in my life who treats me well. We go on vacations and spend time laughing and playing together. She thinks about the little things that make life better.

Today I don't spend as much time as I used to lamenting that many of my family members are not clean and sober. My brother and father both died at 60 of this disease. My son and some of my grandchildren are now using. But the program has made me realize I'm powerless over others. And acceptance has set me free.

I have a wonderful blessed life today and I'm so grateful to those who helped me get here. What are my goals? How about another day of sobriety?