Thursday
September 25, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Doing the right &^%$# thing

The next day Julie was sitting in front of the building, her head down, clutching a wad of tissues.

"You OK?" I asked.

"I want a cigarette.  The babies don't.  They're not even born, and I'm mad at them already.   Did I mention I'm having *&^$#  twins?"

"Congrats on the twins!" I said.  "I see you're not smoking."

"But, I want to smoke.  I'm mad I can't smoke.  I'm not happy not smoking.

"But you're not smoking.  Most people have a hard time quitting.  Give yourself some credit for doing the right thing.

Today I will give myself some credit for doing the right thing,

even if I don't like doing the right thing.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Standing on the Same Step (stages of recovery)
October 1, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
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• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7058957-doors.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

The Sooner the Better   85 Years from now

T'Cell sat on a bench in Apple Tree Park. The fires of T'Cell's anger and frustration had finally burned out ten years after his father had disappeared.  He sat on the bench thinking about those ten wasted years, and the bridges he had burned. 

His mother had remarried. He hadn't been thrilled with the idea, but he had tried to be happy for her.  His stepfather, a cop, had not only refused to search for T'Cell's father, but had told T'Cell he should get on with his life.  T'Cell had cursed the man.  He hadn't spoken to his mother or stepfather for years.

The great Ubutu had given up the search. For the longest time T'Cell had suspected Ubutu of having something to do with his father's disappearance.  He had spurned Ubutu's offers to find a job for him.

Olsen, whom T'Cell had always considered a friend, had told him he doubted they'd ever find Sammy.  T'Cell had ended that friendship on the worst terms possible.   

T'Cell smiled, even though he thought he should be sad.   Accepting that his father was most likely dead had lifted a great burden from his shoulders.  He would waste no more time.  He would burn no more bridges.  "Wish I had accepted the truth ten years ago," he said to himself.

The sooner I accept, the less time I waste, the less likely I am to burn a bridge.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose