“I Loved Him, But I Didn’t Like Him!”
Roughly 20 months ago, I walked out of New Life House in the early evening, having dropped my son off and walking out with a sick feeling, how in the world did MY son end up needing to be in a Sober Living House? Thankfully, dropping him off that night ended up being the best decision that could have happened and has dramatically changed my son, my life and my entire family, all for the better.
Living with an active addict takes a brutal toll on a family, the lying, manipulating and selfishness is nonstop. While I can look back on it now and see how all these things affected me, when Kevin was in the heart of his addiction, I wasn’t able to see it as I was too caught up in worry and concern over his wellbeing, or lack thereof. My relationship had always been good with Kevin, I coached him in sports, we competed against each other in all we did (in a fun way) and in general, had a very good relationship. As Kevin started using more, our relationship suffered as his concern was no longer about spending time with our family and me, it was all about how quickly he could get away from me and the stories and lies increased as he distanced himself, all with the intent on using. By the time Kevin went into New Life, I can honestly say that I loved my son, but I definitely did not like him.
Kevin has always been very high energy, and it is now great to see that this energy is going towards positive things. Kevin has his smile back, his energy/zest for life and whatever Kevin wants to reach for now is within his grasp. He is thinking with a clear mind and is free of many of the demons that led him down the path of using drugs, free of these demons due to the lessons and hard work he put in while at New Life House. While I know that Kevin has goals for himself relating to work, money, etc., my goal for him is quite simple: be happy! Thankfully, with all the work he has done, I know that this goal is now a reality for him.
Seeing Kevin now is a totally different experience for me.
I FULLY enjoy our time together, the conversations are authentic, and the relationship is real on every level. Kevin living a life now that has a foundation of honesty and character makes me prouder than I have ever been of him. His decision to enter New Life was a very, very tough decision and ended up without question being the best decision he could have made as he regained his sense of purpose, regained the love of himself that had been lacking and has found the joy that he deserves.
As a parent, I am forever grateful to New Life House; I truly cannot say enough about the program and the miracles that happen through a lot of hard work, the Juice IS worth the Squeeze!
Last Updated on September 12, 2024
