After many years of active addiction Arthur arrived at Helping Up Mission in 2002, and got clean. Following graduation, he moved on and spent the next seven years continuing his recovery, still living and working in the community.
But, at some point, Arthur let people, places and things get to him and he relapsed. In one year, he managed to undo all the good he had built up over the previous eight. He came back here early this year and has now refocused and is back to making good decisions again.
In class yesterday we talked about where we were one year ago – Thanksgiving 2010. Arthur said Thanksgiving Day last year was just like any other day for him, he spent the day just trying to get enough together to get high.
At the time, he said, he couldn’t think of any place he could go for Thanksgiving dinner. Not that there weren’t places open (including Helping Up Mission!), but in his state of mind at the time, Arthur couldn’t think of anything.
But Arthur said this week he had been thinking about the difference between Thanksgiving this year and last. He said he has many options for Thanksgiving dinner this year: there is the big meal we serve here (which was delicious today!); a nearby church with which he is connected; and two different cousins invited him to join them.
While the church and Helping Up Mission would have both gladly received Arthur last year, the family really wasn’t looking for him. What a difference a year makes. I just hope he didn’t try to hit all four dinners today!
One Thanksgiving Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Spiritual Life Director