When I first entered The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, I didn’t know what to think. This was unfamiliar territory filled with a sea of strangers. It automatically raised my awareness of my surroundings as I looked for individuals doing what I wanted to do.
At that time in my life, all I wanted to do was find a way to stay sober and rebuild my life. That is where I found Darin, whom, unbeknownst to him, I started to look to for guidance.
We met in the Intensive Outpatient Program, or IOP, we both were required to complete for probation. He was about to graduate, had a job, kept to himself and handled his business.
For those who have been a guest at a homeless shelter, having qualities like this is a rare find and exactly what I needed. These traits are even more rare when they are confidently held by a recovering addict.
Opinion
Although Darin probably didn’t realize what he was doing, he gave me the inspiration that it could be done. He even reinforced this image by continuing to come to IOP after he graduated. His presence was unspoken confirmation that he had changed. This was what I needed to start my progression to living a sober life.
I did my best to mirror Darin’s actions in hope that I would accomplish the things he had. He is the one who brought me into The Stewpot Writers’ Workshop. I tried to do what he was doing because it was working for him.
Darin got approved for housing and moved into his own apartment. We stayed in contact through phone calls and the Writers’ Workshop. And I managed to get to the place Darin was when we met. I was sober, in school, an IOP graduate, a voucher recipient, and a valued part of the writers’ group.
But the difficulties of staying sober surfaced when Darin was going through some hard times. Unfortunately, they would land him back in prison, which is a far too common occurrence among addicts.
I was devastated when I heard the news but knew from experience prison can save your life and help you change. I saw an opportunity to give Darin the gift he gave me. I was the one who was living sober, had an apartment, passing my college classes, and doing all the things Darin had showed me were possible. It was my chance to return the favor and be the example on how to handle your business.
I still talk to Darin all the time, help him out when I can with money for the prison commissary, and make sure he knows that this isn’t the end, just a new beginning. I even had the opportunity to attend his graduation from the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. True to his character, Darin is still leading by example even behind bars.
I have graduated from college, maintained my sobriety, still write, and work at the Salvation Army as a licensed chemical dependency counselor for the Intensive Outpatient Program. Through my life experiences and success, I hope to become someone to whom addicts can look for inspiration, as I did with Darin.
I think some of the most powerful expressions of gratitude are made through actions rather than words. My ability to be there for Darin in his time of need is what it’s all about. Simply working together to help each other out. It is my way of saying thank you for being my guiding light, navigator and friend.
I look forward to his return to the free world with the hopes that he hits the ground running. With the help of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, I think he will have no problem finding his way back to the guy I met in my time of need.
Mike McCall is a writer in The Stewpot Writers’ Workshop.