This morning at the fitness center I talked to a grandfather who’s raising his grandchild because his 20-something daughter is still on the streets using meth.
She’s been addicted since her teens and in treatment programs and halfway houses multiple times.
He doesn’t understand why she can’t kick her habit and become responsible for her child.
His dilemma illustrates the chaos we addicts bring to our families and the rest of the world while we’re in our addictions.
“I never hurt anyone but myself.”
“I never stole anything from my family.”
“I only used drugs, I never sold them.”
“I never used in front of my kids.”
These statements are rationalizations, common cop-outs. When we harm ourselves we harm the world. When we’re not contributing to our families, when we’re half conscious, when we’re not taking care of our kids, our jobs, our other responsibilities - then we’re doing damage.
This grandfather says, that while his granddaughter is a great blessing in his life, he hopes that one day his daughter will quit using and return to raise the child.
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