Another day in the trenches

Just checking in to say "All is well." The weather is beautiful, I'm having lunch with a friend of a friend visiting from the Midwest, then I'm speaking at a meeting at 5 p.m. I don't speak all that often, but when I do, I usually think about the message I want to convey and write a few bullet points. I usually keep it simple: What it was like, what happened, and what it's like today.

Here will be my bullet points today:

What it was like: My bottom had a hole in it. I hit bottom at 17 on the streets of Oakland and it got only slightly better until I hit the rooms at 27.

What happened: I walked into an AA meeting at 24 and raised my hand and said I was a heroin addict and I didn't know if you could help me. Everyone said, "Keep coming back." Three years later, I did.

What it's like today:  When I got here, someone suggested I write down on a piece of paper what I wanted in one year. It was simple. I wanted a roof over my head, to pay bills on time, to own a car, to have a dog, and to lose that constant depression and misery. Today, 31 years later, I have that and so much more.

If you're struggling, know that it does get better. First it may only get different, but slowly it gets better.