I was recently at my daughter’s final assembly at primary school and the well know tale ‘Footsteps’ was told to them. Most of you will know this:
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along
the beach with the Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed
two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the
very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life there is
only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when I needed you most
you would leave me.”
The Lord replied “My precious, precious child,
I love you and would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints in the sand,
it was then that I carried you.”
At the end of our drinking or using, we are usually at our very lowest and it is hard to feel the love of anyone, yet alone a Higher Power or ‘God of our Understanding’. Yet when in recovery we are asked to believe in such a concept, that there is something greater than ourselves that will see us right and guide us through.
So why did we go through what we went through?
So why did we go through what we went through? I have heard people question why they did not die from their substance abuse – especially when, in some cases, they tried but failed to take their own life. Those of us through the pain of active addiction and in recovery can see how the dreadful experience has changed us and our lives for the better. We are a more understanding, feeling, compassionate person and we can use our experiences to help others. We did not die because our Higher Power / God had different plans for us. He carried us through even though we did not know it or feel it at the time.
Recovery
I do not know how some of us manage to survive / are earmarked for survival – while many others do not make it. As the person responsible for talking to the people who need rehab and their families, I encounter many who decide not to go to rehab – yet – and many who then leave it too late. It is very sad when I hear that a person I have encountered has died without getting the help they needed. They could so easily have lived. We all know the names of the famous people who have died due to their abuse of substances – most recently, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston, for example. I could add several less famous names to that from my experience recently.
Don’t let that be you or someone you love. Pick up the phone and get the help and love that is there waiting for you now.
The Haynes Clinic is an alcohol and drug rehab clinic which offers detox and counselling for people with addictions.
Call 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice.
