Alumni Perspective

Dear Family,

I want to thank you for allowing my father and I to share our experience with you all, it has been an absolute honor for both of us. I had a great pleasure in meeting many of you and seeing those who had played a major role in my personal development. My visit brought back many memories from my stay there.
I know you all feel like it is forever, but I promise you it is such a short time in your life and the years go by very quickly. During my visit I remembered many memories and feelings I had experienced, especially the feeling of being stuck. I could not move forward in happiness and did not want to continue to feel miserable. The teachers and advisors tried to guide me; however I wanted instant happiness without having to work for it. For those who are still waiting for the Fairy Godmother and her wand, she’s not coming.

I lived in absolute misery for twenty six months on and off; whenever I grasped happiness I would lose it through dishonesty and resentment. I did not want to deal with my problems and did not want to entrust them in anyone for fear of being judged. Fear always held me back from doing my potential and it was the core of my misery. When my best friend died I blamed God and everyone because I thought that anything good that happened in my life would be taken away, I was wrong, instead of focusing on how she died, I began focusing on how she lived and wanted to develop her love and compassion to pass on to others as she passed to me.

When you leave, which everyone will eventually, do things that you love, if you focus on all the bad things you’ll live in misery. Although I am not an alcoholic I still work the program because it makes sense; if you do something wrong, admit it, if you hurt someone amend it; you’ll live a happier life and the friendships you develop will be the strongest. The old friends I had, before the family, now ten years later , three died by suicide, some were murdered. The ones that are still around, I look at and feel so sorry for them because they are so drugged up they can’t function and beg for money to support their habit because they can’t keep a job. The only one that can change you is you, it is your life, you do what you want with it and the tools have been laid out for there through your sponsor and support. Good luck to you all.
Maria D.