Periodically I send money to a former in-law who’s in a nursing home suffering with cancer. He went there after having a stroke nearly seven years ago.
A relative who knows I’m in recovery wondered why.
“You know he’s going to get drunk or buy drugs with the money,” he told me.
When I said I didn’t care he seemed puzzled. That’s probably because he knows I’ve spent 21 years at TLC helping people who want to recover.
I told him I don’t advocate that others get clean or sober. I don’t have the power - or desire - to convince others it’s a great idea to quit using drugs or alcohol. The only thing that convinces addicts or alcoholics to change is to have enough pain and bad experiences.
My former in-law knows what a wreck my life was because we drank and did drugs together. And he sees how I’ve lived for the past 21 years. If he wanted recovery he knows I’d help him.
He’s living his life as he chooses and that’s his business.
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