At one time in my early sobriety some 28 years ago I thought I might never reestablish a relationship with my family.
After all, I'd been pretty much out of communication with them during my years of drinking, using heroin, and the time I spent in prison as the result of my behavior.
And a lot of addicts I work with today in our recovery program express the same fears – that their family will no longer want anything to do with them.
But I write today to tell you that that's not necessarily true. Because after I had been sober about five years and was on a good financial footing I invited my oldest daughter and her husband to spend a week in Imperial Beach, California for a vacation by the ocean.
That initial vacation in the mid-90s has become a family tradition. And each year we've had to add condominiums to accommodate a growing family and extended family and friends. And this year something like 45 people showed up and we ended up renting 10 condominiums at one property.
I can promise any of you who are addicts who are in the same situation as I was during the early 90s and before that you can rebuild your relationships with your families. And in fact, even see them blossom and grow stronger.
Before closing, I want to add that the most important thing in our lives is our relationships with others – particularly our relationships with our families. A recent report based on the Harvard study – which spanned some 75 years – found that the key ingredient to happiness among all groups regardless of wealth or education was the relationships they had with their families, friends, and associates.
After all, we can gain all of the material things in the world and a wealth of education, but if we don't have someone to experience it with than what is life all about?
It happened to me and it can happen for you.
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