Genuine and Honest -- Rare

It has been a long time since I sat and talked with someone who is 100% sincere and 100% genuine. A couple of weeks ago I talked with a friend that I haven’t seen in over a year. This is a man that does not have a steady job, has very little money and very little education. He is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. Knowing that, I still can’t help but envy this man. He knows who he is. He does not let the pressures of today’s society influence him. He accepts what life hands him and embraces it without complaint. Could he do better? Probably, he is an intelligent and sensible person. But he is content being who he is. Talking to him is like a breath of fresh air.

I know a handful of recovering addicts and there is one commonality with all of them – they know who they are. Funny how losing one’s self control seems to lead to the discovery of self. I’m sure it is not true for all addicts, and I know there are those who have never hit rock bottom that are genuine. I’m just saying, it seems odd that some of us spend our entire lives criticizing or ignoring people of addiction, when in the end, it’s that type of person we long to become.

Thanks for the talk Ben.