Yet, some of you are fearful, full of dread; some of you are in denial; some of you are confused, wondering what you did wrong and what you can do to make things right (maybe nothing); some of you are okay for the day, hour, moment; and some of you are accepting and serene (not enough of you), knowing that you got that way by helping others.

All of us need you, all 58 of you, to show up tonight to help the rest of us to be more accepting, to feel better (it is okay to feel better) and to become better at our relationships with our children, our partners, our colleagues and bosses, our folks, the parking authority, Comcast and the dog.

There are a great many parents suffering from the disease of addiction.  It may not be their addiction, but they are suffering nonetheless, and in many cases as much,if not more, than the addict they love and used to know, but whose behavior they hate with passion.

The frustration, the hopelessness and the fear of a parent of an addict can be too much at times, especially if they have no one to talk to about it. Addicts see it in their parents and it does not help them with the shame and guilt they feel, or with their lack of self-worth. To cope with it, they use.  It’s a cycle.  Once they see their parents get over that frustration, hopelessness, fear and guilt, and see that their parents are intent on living their own lives, without the guilt and shame of their kid being an addict, and that their parents are no longer buying (literally!?) into the chaotic lives their kids lead as addicts, they often begin to see that they need to take some responsibility for the way they feel and live, and sometimes leads to a better, more purposeful life.  They feel better, do better, love others again and grow up. Isn’t that what we want for our children?

This is what we learn from each other.  This is how recovery works for all concerned.  Join us tomorrow to be a part of the process.