By Charles M.
I am pretending that my disease (alcohol) wrote me a letter. It said very nasty things. so I am writing back.
Dear Disease,
I’ve been waiting to here from you. Where the f#*k have you been? It’s been so long… you actually gave me a Heart Attack! Since you’re so cunning, treating me like a baffle plate, & you don’t have the guts to show your face (Mr. Powerful), here is the answer to YOUR letter.
To me you’re like The Afghanistan War. You come into my life with a purpose, then you try to put me in a body bag! But I don’t think so. O.K. I admit we had some good times, no, great times. Our love for each other was the best (instant gratification) I’ve ever had. But something went wrong for us. Everywhere I took you I made a fool out of myself!
I took you to my job… Made a fool of myself. Brought you to see my family… Made a fool of myself. I went to jail behind you, making me make a fool of myself. When I said I loved you with all of my heart, I didn’t think it would be my actual heart! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
I didn’t know what the problem was at first, until, lying in the hospital bed I figured it out.
I LOVE EVERYTHING YOU HATE!!
I LOVE my Higher Power (which you hate)
I LOVE my family (that you tried to destroy along with me)
I LOVE recovery (which you despise)
So wheresoever you are stay dormant while I ask my Higher Power to keep you in your cage where you belong and I shall use every tool possible to keep you out of my life!!!
GOOD RIDDANCE
This is for Charles M. who wrote “Dear Disease” … You are an amazing individual with great strength and determination. Your letter brought tears to my eyes and although, I’ve been blessed from not having that sort of co-dependency, your “disease” has creeped up and touched me as I watch family members struggle with it … I see it every day on the streets, in the patients that I see at the hospital and clients that I serve at my place of employment. It’s an ugly and devastating disease. I pray for those who struggle with their sobriety and I thank God for his goodness and mercy.
Maria – Sorry for the delay in responding. I’m going to try and contact Charles so I can pass your message along to – unfortunately it’s been a couple months since I last spoke to him, but I think I should be able to reach him.
Also – I wanted to inform you of our new Facebook page and a feature article that ran in the Hartford Courant on Sunday, June 12. Here are the links if you haven’t seen them yet…
Beat of the Street Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beat-of-the-Street/234608453220716
Hartford Courant Article – http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc-homeless-newspaper-0612-20110604,0,7798744.story
Please keep in touch and check back to our web site for more frequent updates. I’ll talk to you soon…
Nathan & The Beat