THOSE NOT IN RECOVERY:

We can go forward with our life and
recoveries, even though someone we
love is not yet recovering.

Picture a bridge. On one side of the
bridge it is cold and dark. We stood

there with others in the cold and
darkness, doubled over in pain. Some of
us developed an eating disorder to cope
with the pain. Some drank; some used

other drugs. Some of us lost control of
our sexual behavior. Some of us

obsessively focused on addicted people's
pain to distract us from our own pain.
Many of us did both: we developed an
addictive behavior, and distracted

ourselves by focusing on other addicted
people. We did not know there was a

bridge.

Then, some of us got lucky. Our eyes
opened. We saw the bridge. People told
us what was on the other side: warmth,
light, and healing from our pain. We
could barely glimpse or imagine this,
but we decided to start the trek across the

bridge anyway.

We tried to convince the people around
us on the cliff that there was a bridge to a
better place, but they wouldn't listen.
They couldn't see it; they couldn't believe.
They were not ready for the journey. We
decided to go alone, because we believed,
and because people on the other side were
cheering us onward. The closer we got to
the other side, the more we could see, and
feel, that what we had been promised was
real. There was light, warmth, healing, and

love. The other side was a better place.

But now, there is a bridge between us and
those on the other side. Sometimes, we
may be tempted to go back and drag them
over with us, but it cannot be done. No one
can be dragged or forced across this bridge.
Each person must go at his or her own
choice, when the time is right. Some will
come; some will stay on the other side.
The choice is not ours.

If our time has come to cross the bridge, or
if we have already crossed and are
standing in the light and warmth, we do not
have to feel guilty. It is where we are meant
to be. We do not have to go back to the dark
cliff because another's time has not yet
come.

The best thing we can do is stay in the light,
because it reassures others that there is a
better place. And if others ever do decide to
cross the bridge, we will be there to cheer
them on.

Web Stores:

eCrater - http://wrhmcp.ecrater.com/

Police Registry - http://www.wrhmcp.com
Atomic Mall - http://www.atomicmall.com/wrhmcp

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/shops/wrhmcp

Bonanza - http://www.bonanza.com/booths/wrhmcp

eBay - http://www.ebay.com/