I get a Google alert yesterday that someone left a comment about our Roosevelt property.
Curious, I go to the web page and read it, even though I had a good idea what it said. And, as I anticipated, it was a negative remark about the program.
And while I was there I read through five or six others left over the past few years - most of them negative.
Fifteen years ago these comments might have irritated me. I'd lay awake at night fretting about how ungrateful addicts are. Don't they know how hard we work to provide the services we offer. Blah, blah, blah.
Today I understand the addict's dilemma. In early recovery they think they're the center of the universe. Most come to us after mommy evicted them from her sofa . They've been mooching from her until she can no longer stand it.
When they get to us they expect to hang out and do what they want. Kind of like they were doing at home. They're shocked when they're awakened at 4:00 am to go to work. They're angry that they have to clean their room. And make their bed. Take a shower and wash their clothes.
And at this point many will leave.. And of course they'll also owe us money for the time they freeloaded off of us.
The interesting thing is that we addicts have learned to forgive. We realize that some of us have to go out and suffer for a while before reality sets in.
And when addicts suffer enough they start realizing that TLC isn't so bad after all. Especially when they're hungry, strung out, and homeless.
And, we generally welcome them back. Sometimes more than once.
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