There's an aura of sadness over our office today because one of our long-time employees is on a ventilator in a local hospital. He's had health problems for some time and has been in and out of the hospital more than once over the last few years.
He's been with us for so many years he's become part of the family. He'll do anything for anyone and we're afraid that maybe this time he's not coming back home. Though no one can predict whether he's going to make it through this, the reports coming from the hospital are less and less positive as the hours pass. We all are praying that he makes it through. We hope he proves us wrong because he's done it before but this time his condition is more complicated, at least from the reports we've been getting.
One thing that's different about TLC from a lot of programs is that if one wants to stay here they can stay for the rest of their lives. Whether they have money or not. And for many people who have lost their family and relatives over the years it's the perfect place for them to be. We have become a surrogate family for many of them.
A few have been with us for 20 years. And many times people tell us they thought we were a transitional program. That people come here to get well and learn to live and then move on.
While that's true in most cases, there are many who come here and become part of the volunteer team that helps others get sober and change their lives. They build a circle of friends around them - an extended family that helps one another rebuild their lives. A family that helps them stay away from drugs and alcohol.
They learn generosity and find love and caring for their fellow man that they never had before. And in the end I think they (and all of us) find that the most important thing in life is those around us - the people we love and who love us.
We hope our friend gets home once again.
No comments:
Post a Comment