Today I visited The Last Stop for NA and AA, Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. We gather, armed with oatmeal porridge, coffee, tea and cookies. In turns participants tell their story. Encouraged with a 'hello' and appreciated with a 'thank you for sharing'. Stories about the struggle to stay off the bottle. About how to live a different and new life without alcohol or drugs. About the joy of waking up clean. About being human once again. About the incarceration in a life with drugs. About how essential The Last Stop is because you are always welcome and appreciated.
Owner and founder Chris tells me how he was addicted to whiskey women and angel dust (PCP). He bought the building that now houses The Last Stop. He is not supported by the city or the state and pays no taxes. He shows me his den, a sort of container closet of seven by seven feet ending in a wedge with a basement for prayer and a ground floor with a bed and all his clothes neatly hung on hangers on a rack. It is clean and snug. It has a punching bag with towels on top. It has candles.
Reminds me of the important things in life. I am deeply impressed.
Posted 1/12/2017 3:41:32 PM