We have a tradition at our corporate office about celebrating anniversaries. Belly button birthdays. And more importantly, sobriety dates. We make a big deal about those who have a sobriety birthday.
We stop the office operation for fifteen minutes or so around 11:00. Then 10 or 15 of us will sing happy birthday and listen to a few words from the person being honored.
And last week a man being honored celebrated 12 years. And the interesting part is that all of those 12 years, he has worked at TLC. First as a client, then later managing various aspects of the business - both in and out of the corporate office. He's now our number three employee and assumes responsibility for a large part of our operations.
Prior to that he was in and out of TLC for ten years in a row. Each year he would make a certain amount of progress. Then he would relapse or break some other rule and leave. When things got too tough he would return and start over. In reality he's been with us much of his adult life since 1995.
Today he explains that he finally started looking at other clients who were succeeding. He watched what they did to stay sober and remain in our program. He used them as a template for how to behave.
Now he's married, has children, and lives in a nice suburban home. Not a bad life for someone who came to us with nothing many years ago.
But a good example for the youngsters who come in despairing ever being able to change. He can show them how to do it.
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