This is a joyous time of year, and for the residents at the Upper Room, every ounce of that joy is hard-earned. These men have had some hard years behind them. Some difficult years ahead, too. Recovery is a lifelong journey after all, and the first years are the hardest. The reality is that the stress of the holidays makes December one of the worst months for relapses. But I don’t want to talk about that today.
Today, I want to talk about one of the most joyous things we ever get to witness in this line of work. As you may have heard, addiction is an isolating disease. Many of our residents don’t have any family connections left. Those relationships are strained, if they still exist at all. Rebuilding them is a long and difficult task.
That’s why the most magical thing we ever get to see is when one of our residents spends the holiday season with family for the first time in years. The tenacity, the diligence, and the determination of our men in recovery. The love and forgiveness of their families.These reunions are a special kind of sublime. It’s one of the best things we ever get to see.
And I just wanted to share that with you.
Photo credit: Jazzyblue TR on Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND