Graduation

Wow, what a night! Twelve graduates from the program.

Graduation is a time of both celebration and sadness. We are filled with joy at seeing so many lives turned around and made whole again, yet we are sad in seeing those whom we have had the privilege of working with leave us. I know they will be back for aftercare, but I will miss the day to day interaction we have with them.

Listening to what their program of recovery has brought into their lives is amazing. Improved communication skills with their spouse and kids; learning to handle stress as it comes to us each day; dealing with conflict when it arises; managing anger; learning to deal with emotions as they occur so they don't trigger us to go back where we came from. It is truly a blessing to hear the joy of our graduates as they move on down the pathway of life, filled with new energy, positive energy, trusting in the goodness of their Higher Power and reaching out for those He has put in their lives to help them now.

When one graduate says "for the first time in my life people are proud of me", "I wouldn't have made it through the difficulties I faced just while I was in the program were it not for my counselor." my heart was moved as were so many. So many blessings.

But the room was also filled also with family, husbands, wives, children, parents. Those whose lives have been ripped apart by the disease of addiction. As they choked back the tears, expressing the gratitude they have for their loved one finally "seeing the light", I always think that the program is as much for them as for our patient - both experience a new way of life with the recovery program.

So when all was said and done, when everyone was hugged and congratulated and the room was empty of the 75 or so wellwishers and patients, I stood alone in the room, looking around, filled with a peacefulness I don't know if I have felt so strongly in a long time. Sometimes, in running a treatment program, the drive for numbers, being sure all the "i's are dotted that the "t's" are crossed, being sure that we are in total complicance with all local, county, state and federal requirement, seems to be overwhelming.

But in the empty room it all came back to me that this was the mission with which we were charged - bringing healing to the hearts of so many. This is what it is all about. This is why we are here. How blessed we are.

Blessings Terry, Joel, Tim, Jayna, Brenda, Eric, Mario, Jennie, Jolene, Chris, Karen, Trisha
There is a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.

Dr. Fred