I came back from Vietnam with a lingering drug and alcohol habit that slowly manifested over the years until I ended up living in a one-room apartment in a flophouse, with nothing to my name and no friends or relatives that would have anything to do with me. In order to begin to restore my life, and to overcome the self-loathing I experienced, I took the suggestion of a friend and went to my first AA meeting. It was just what I needed, and I found myself going to a couple meetings a day, for a couple years, meeting people just like myself, who were enjoying life in a way in which I’d never experienced. I’ve been going ever since that first day, twenty-six years ago.
How has your life been changed as a result of your ordeal?
I’ve found a new freedom that I’ve never enjoyed, and a purpose that is continuously, divinely inspired. The connection I have with this divine source is more and more solid, as I continue to follow its guidance to the best of my ability.
What would you advise another facing similar circumstances based on what you have learned?
Give up everything you have ever believed – or have been told to believe – about who and what you are, and begin to discover the person you were always meant to be. Find that source within yourself that speaks in a language specific to YOU. You will know this voice if you become quiet and just listen. You are, and will continue to be, a miracle.
