I was in line to buy radically discounted chocolates. The line seemed to be dragging because the young cashier struck up a conversation with every customer. She wanted to know if they had any foreign coins she could have to add to her collection. She bragged about her Canadian coins and her coins from Mexico then about her coin from Zimbabwe. It became clear that she had mild retardation because of how she worded things but none the less her enthusiasm for coins gave way to complete strangers celebrating the 21st anniversary of one customer’s sobriety. The young cashier noticed a large coin in her wallet and said, “Oh you belong to the same club as a guy who just left.” The customer pulled out her AA coin and explained that on the 19th of this month she would celebrate 21 years of sobriety. The cashier said with a huge smile, “oh your family must be so proud of you.” The customer said they didn’t support her at all because of the mistakes she made when she was drinking. The cashier didn’t understand why but she never asked for further explanation as the line was getting longer. Once the customer said she had been sober nearly 21 years the lady behind me clapped and congratulated her. So there the whole line (6 people) clapped for her and congratulated her on her anniversary. A few stories were exchanged about personal sobriety, she gathered her purchases, thanked us for our support and left.
It never made sense to me why someone would turn to drinking or drugs until I started dealing with chronic pain and horrible anxiety attacks. Yesterday had someone offered me a joint to ease the anxiety there is no doubt in my mind I would have taken it. I thought about going across the street to see if a neighbor of mine had anything because the clonapin wasn’t working fast enough. I thought about this woman, I thought about Blossom and her sobriety, about Kathy, about others I know who have overcome addiction. I know they have set a good example of how to overcome this addiction, they’ve shared stories of how life was while using and it let me know that I just don’t want to travel down that road. It also has become clear to me that a person with an addiction doesn’t have some inherent flaw and that the most precious people, the most kind and loving high spirited people can fall to addiction. There is no evil within that causes a person to drink and become addicted. I never ever thought that, but I also never understood until recently just what drives a person to use and I never really grasped how easily a person can fall prey to addiction until recently either. Sometimes it’s as “simple” as numbing physical pain like with Blossom or numbing emotional pain like with Kathy. One thing is for certain, no one sets out to become an addict. I have a feeling that one day a person needs to numb and the next thing you know life is upside down and the losses rack up higher than you ever thought they could. I’ve heard of people losing everything, absolutely everything to drugs and other addictions. Blossom lost her family, her daughters and this customer lost her family over it too. It tells me two things, anyone can fall prey to this because everyone needs some sort of out let for pain whether it’s emotional or physical.
When it comes to abuse there are years that I can not get back, things stolen from me that I’ll never see again. As an informed adult I have to watch my step so as not to fall prey to numbing with substances that could take away what I’ve worked to preserve. People like this customer who celebrates her sobriety today show extra courage and strength when they pull out their coin and tell everyone that they have lasted 21 years without a drink or a drug and you can do it too. I was inspired by her and the reaction of the customers in line. They actually cheered for her. It was rather Hollywood but I thought it was nice and I think she appreciated it as well. All of this celebrating, all of the after thought occurred because one very social cashier asked everyone she waited on if they had any foreign coins. Its simple really, one conversation leads to another, leads to connection, leads to thought, leads to change and or prevention. I like simplicity, especially when it travels down complicated roads and lays understanding which leads to compassion.
CONGRATULATIONS DEAR STRANGER ON 21 YEARS OF SOBRIETY
and THANK YOU for your example of courage and the strength to overcome odds.
Austin
A Stranger Celebrates Sobriety
A Gratitude Monday entry- written Sunday, November 19, 2006-7:51AM EST
My philosophy on addiction is that, despite the pain, it would be a waste of time to travel down a road knowing that eventually I would just have to turn around and come back from it. The effects of alcohol and drugs wear off and you are back with the pain again and less than what you started with. Less money, less integrity, less self esteem, etc. Better for me to just stay off that road to begin with.