I know a woman who has had a severe substance abuse problem for most of her adult life. She hit a significant age and realized that if she was ever going to change her life it had to be now. It was time to grow up. She had children and grandchildren that needed her. That was part of her motivation. But mostly she just wanted to find the her she had lost to addiction. She couldn’t get back the lost years but she was damned if she was going to lose any more.
So she quit- just like that- no more drugs, no more alcohol, no more cigarettes. And she started a diet/ exercise plan to lose the considerable amount of weight she had packed on over the years. All of this was made doubly hard by an abusive addicted husband who didn’t want anything to change. But this woman was a strong, determined person. She resisted temptations, survived withdrawal, lost the weight and finally left the husband. She took only a bag of clothes. She moved in with relatives for financial and safety reasons.
So fast forward to now- she has a good job, bought a new car, looks and feels great and is in a promising relationship. She had determined it was time to get rid of her wedding ring and all that it symbolized but all the pawn shops were closed. Her friend suggested giving it to someone in need maybe a homeless person. Although she was disappointed that she couldn’t get rid of it immediately she thought his idea was great.
On the trip home, she stopped at a rest area. There was a woman sitting on the ground with a pile of belongings and a sign asking for help. Our heroine sat in the car for a few moments watching. She then got out and walked straight towards the woman who lowered her head as if expecting a confrontation. Our heroine held her hand out, the homeless woman held hers out timidly. The ring was dropped in the outstretched hand and our heroine headed to the bathroom. Not a word had been spoken by either.
But this simple act of paying it forward lifted the burdens of both women. Our heroine left more than a wedding ring. In realizing how easily that could have been have been her sitting there, she left her past and embraced her bright new future. She has reached that place of healing where the voices in her head are no longer saying “No, you can’t you’re not good enough.”
She left more than a wedding ring for the other woman, too. She left hope, a feeling that someone cares and perhaps for awhile a silencing of her own voices. What a great way to get a fresh start!
That’s the view from my side of street, what’s yours?
So she quit- just like that- no more drugs, no more alcohol, no more cigarettes. And she started a diet/ exercise plan to lose the considerable amount of weight she had packed on over the years. All of this was made doubly hard by an abusive addicted husband who didn’t want anything to change. But this woman was a strong, determined person. She resisted temptations, survived withdrawal, lost the weight and finally left the husband. She took only a bag of clothes. She moved in with relatives for financial and safety reasons.
So fast forward to now- she has a good job, bought a new car, looks and feels great and is in a promising relationship. She had determined it was time to get rid of her wedding ring and all that it symbolized but all the pawn shops were closed. Her friend suggested giving it to someone in need maybe a homeless person. Although she was disappointed that she couldn’t get rid of it immediately she thought his idea was great.
On the trip home, she stopped at a rest area. There was a woman sitting on the ground with a pile of belongings and a sign asking for help. Our heroine sat in the car for a few moments watching. She then got out and walked straight towards the woman who lowered her head as if expecting a confrontation. Our heroine held her hand out, the homeless woman held hers out timidly. The ring was dropped in the outstretched hand and our heroine headed to the bathroom. Not a word had been spoken by either.
But this simple act of paying it forward lifted the burdens of both women. Our heroine left more than a wedding ring. In realizing how easily that could have been have been her sitting there, she left her past and embraced her bright new future. She has reached that place of healing where the voices in her head are no longer saying “No, you can’t you’re not good enough.”
She left more than a wedding ring for the other woman, too. She left hope, a feeling that someone cares and perhaps for awhile a silencing of her own voices. What a great way to get a fresh start!
That’s the view from my side of street, what’s yours?
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