Just rambling.

28,000 addicts a year die from prescription pain killers..
It makes me thankful everyday that drug abuse is all behind me..

You don't NEED weed every morning when you wake up..
But when you're addicted to pills, you're driven to find them... to take them, or you're sick.

It's crazy to think about how out of control my life was, and to be where I'm at today has taken a lot.. but it's easy now.. I rarely ever crave anymore, I don't have to worry and that's probably the best part..

I was on a break at work Saturday, and a police officer was there on a routine call for something simple..
I didn't know him because he was a new cop, but he was talking to a few of us who were out there..

He was waiting for someone to return, and it was just me and him there.. I asked him if he knew who I was, as it's a small town, and there's a lot of talk..

He told me he read my news paper article, which was cut out and passed around the office..
It's hard to describe how I felt.. As an addict, I never "Hated" the police officers, they were just doing their job..  and in a small town I knew almost every officer on a first name basis.. not from encounters with them.. just through passing by..

After being arrested a few times, I got to know them, and they always tried to help, offering me their phone numbers to call if I ever had a craving, and just needed to talk.. Trying to get me into clinics..

I remember one drive to court, the police officers weren't mean like you'd think.. they were actually talking to me, and trying to help me.. Passing me smokes through the divider, and actually caring enough to find out how I was feeling, how I was doing..

So being told that they're proud of me.. that they're happy I've turned my life around really hits home to me..
It's not just them.. Everyday I have at least one person who comes up to me, and tells me how proud they are of me, with a smile on their face and in some cases tears in their eyes..
Even people who don't know me are proud of me..

It's truley amazing... I've never in my life been as happy as I am right now..
I'm doing a good thing, I'm trying to help others, and it's perfect..
I have my family back, My life back..

I'm me again.. and you can't imagine how empowering it feels... It's things like this that drive me to stay clean, and to help others. I honesly believe I went through everything for a reason.. and it would be a waste for me not to give others the insight of an addict..  Most people treat addicts like lepers.. but now it's becoming a talked about issue.. something needs to be done, and I see it each and everyday.

I'm one of the lucky ones.. I really am, and I wish I could do more, and help more people..
That's why I want to become an addiction counselor.. I know I will make a difference.. it's not a question of if I will.. it's when I will.

I'm writing my next blog post now.. It's going to be a long one, so it might not be done for a bit.
Thanks for reading!

-Neil