FRIENDS TO THE END

National Addictions Awareness Week, Nov. 20-26 2005

The following is a submitted story by a recovering addict.

Fort Saskatchewan Record -- All my life I've been told "If you keep
on using drugs you will die or go to Jail"....

I never believed this or should I say I believed it too much, I at
least had a murky idea of what this warning truly meant.

So, I soldiered on through life lying, cheating and stealing.

I hadn't a care in the world, but all the while I had this constant
struggle with people who expected so much of me as if I had something to offer.

I always had a cherished few, that were so close to me, it was as if
we had shared a glimpse of each other's souls.

Such good friends that we could practically read each other's minds
and they all warned "if you keep on using drugs you will die or go to
jail." This closeness was always there, I had it with everyone, but
shared it with only a precious few, and I ran from it. I could not
understand why I should know so much about people around me, that I
could just have a simple conversation with a stranger and gain such a
spectrum of insight into their personality. I simply wanted to live
anonymously. I didn't want to or care to understand my life's purpose
I didn't want to feel anything as feeling leads to acting and acting
to making a difference and making a difference to standing for something.

I was hiding from myself, and could not grasp why I had these
extremely strong connections with people "what was I preparing for"?
I lived half of my life in the dark in hiding from destiny and the real world.

One day, my sister, whom I have always admired for her silent
strength and her ability to express her wisdom, through her painting
and writing approached me. With big tears welling up in her eyes, she
said " I am afraid you will die or go to jail and I'm gonna grow up
without my little brother, I want you around!" So I agreed to get
help not for myself but stop the agony on her face from piercing my
heart and I went to Narconon a rehabilitation center for drug addicts
and alcoholics. While there, I had a twin, a wonderful man named
Libero, who was unable to read or write.

I made it my goal to get him through the program and it took me an
extra three months, but we got through it and by the end he was
reading and writing at the sixth grade level.

For my efforts, I was offered a fulltime position with Narconon and I
graciously accepted.

Unfortunately, I wasn't finished with drugs and alcohol and I had a
series of rises and falls until finally I ended up back in my hometown.

Homeless, jobless, and more addicted to drugs than ever. I was living
in my car moving from place to place I was pathetic yet, I thought I
had the world by the tail I believed was invincible.

I developed yet another very small core of friends.

Amidst a vast network of acquaintances, who watched out for me and
seemed to know what my next move would be before I did and again I
was warned "If you keep on using drugs you will die or go to jail."
But who were these people no one knows what's best for me so what if
they know me better than I know myself.

Then one day this passed June, I was arrested and told by the
arresting officer "You're gonna go to jail son." I was relieved,
finally, what everyone had promised was to coming true. I was placed
in the Remand Centre, where my family, all battled and war-torn by
the gauntlet they ran for me, let me sit for two weeks as I sobered
up. I didn't have the same nagging thoughts of how can I get out and
get back on drugs.

I was a man freed from a curse, that had lasted half my life, and as
I rose like a phoenix, from the ashes of my wasted life I was
consumed with a need to go back to Narconon. But not for cowardly
reasons like before, but rather because for the first time I had a
hope that I could have a life and live it for me. So, I made bail and
was sent back to Narconon. But, this time I made no effort to save
every one's lives, I made no effort to be in the spotlight, as a star
student. Rather, I tried with all of my energy to save just one
degraded and worn-out old soul. I did not make student of the week; I
did not achieve any glory.

I simply became my own best friend.

As usual, amongst the vast numbers of faces in the hall I gravitated
toward a precious few with who we shared our darkest secrets and
accepted openly our quirkiest defects of character.

As my life was different, so was this bond, I began to accept and
understand this gift of being able to gain an unusual insight into a
persons personality after a small amount of contact and embraced it.
My precious few contained a set of twin brothers who have throughout
their tolerance, kindness, and genuine strength of character have
welcomed me into their families and shared their futures with me so
that we all may live long healthy and safe lives together.

We have all realized that we have a strong ability to express
ourselves and a very strong desire to ensure that others with our
former curse don't end up in the places we've been. We have made it
our purpose to help in any way we can to ensure they don't. It was
strangely coincidental that we all made the decision at the same time
to go to the same place and get our lives together.

In a very short six months we have touched each other's lives in a
way that cannot be undone we have built success into the very fabric
of our lives and established friendships that cannot end. It was as
if we had a pact to meet in the next life if we hadn't managed to
change by then. "We met and we won together, Friends to the End!"

F.C.

The authors of this story now have a business together that helps
people suffering from addictions. Addiction Enders realizes the pain
that families of drug addicts and alcoholics face. To contact them
for help call Cory or Fraser at 998-2278 or 993-6401. The website is
currently under construction but it is www.addictionenders.ca.