Awkwardness

A student shared this afternoon on an experience that rings so true to the experience of many when they are finally willing to move in the direction of getting help.

What will people think of me?  Will I be judged? What if everybody in there is really different from me? These thoughts were racing through his head.  He almost turned around.

To this young mans surprise, as he walked into the room full of other young men and woman seeking to get support for their difficulties, he was greeted with familiar and welcoming faces.  “I had no idea that those kids were struggling just like me” he said.  “It’s like my own fears were just keeping me isolated and sick.”

It’s awkward for young and old alike to walk across the threshold where the sign reads “Need Help? Enter Here!”  Again and again in the rooms of recovery people will share stories of the outlandish maneuvers they made as they approached their first meeting.   “What will people think?” might be ringing in our minds, but the challenge is to find the courage to walk in and claim our seat regardless of that fear.