[Don Ro]

Many years past, I was a counselor in a crisis center. One of my co-counselors was simultaneously going thru a divorce, battling obesity, and trying to quit smoking. She was a mess. Her psych suggested that, for her sanity, she choose to either continue eating as per usual or continue to smoke. She chose to continue smoking. Within a year or so she had her divorce, lost mucho lbs., and then she stopped smoking. I held tremendous admiration for her...she was my God-ette.
.
I can't not say this. Same admiration here. I check out this thread a few times/week for inspiration. When I read these posts I get goose bumps on my forearms. You gents are truly heroes. Thank you so much for sharing your stories of struggle 'n courage. IMO, one has to have been under the influence of addiction to fully appreciate the depth of the "inside job" that this is. Personal confrontation, to the max.
.
On that note, I attended an event once where Dr. Phillip Kavanaugh, founder of The Los Gatos Therapy Center, addict and author of "Magnificent Addiction", spoke. I recall him saying that, at some level, recovering addicts often can be more spiritually whole than the average person because of the depth of understanding of one's interiority/core that the recovery process can render.
.
Again, thanks gents.
.
ps 'Heard this somewhere: "A man is on fire so he jumps into a lake to put out the fire. He drowns."
.