Unlocking
Inspiration
When I was 15, I was not a bad kid, but I would say
I was a lost kid. Attribute it to being one of those “latch
key kids” of the 1980’s with parents who were
not really around much. Both of my parents worked
hard, but they were divorced and dealing with their own issues. So
I became one of those kids that would say or do things to
get attention. Being a bit of an “ugly duckling” some
of the attention I attracted was the wrong kind back then,
but for the most part, I stayed out of trouble, got good
grades, and never drank or used drugs. My mom
was a big believer in church, so from birth on my sister
and I were taken to church. This was not very exciting
for a teenager, until we changed churches. The new
church we attended had a very active youth group.
Chuck
Paulson was our youth leader, with his wife Jane. During a time when a
lot of kids need guidance and stability, Chuck and Jane
were there. We attended groups and fun activities
several nights a week or on the weekend. Who could
forget the campouts four times a year? Not me! I
didn’t realize back then what a big influence this
had on me, but I think it was significant. It gave
me social opportunities where I actually developed social
skills. For me, it was a good emotional and spiritual
support. I grew to love people outside of my immediate
family, and started to develop self-confidence. But
that confidence soon faded.
Years
later I fell into a faster lifestyle; I can’t quite remember how or why,
but I did. By my senior year I was skipping class
a lot and experimenting with drinking every now and then. I
even smoked pot once or twice. Believe it or not
I managed to graduate, but barely. My GPA didn’t
win me any awards!
With
college nowhere in sight, I spent the next three years
drinking and using heavily. After
nearly daily use I eventually had to stop or I should say
was somewhat forced to stop with police intervention and
the grace of God. This revelation instantly took
me back to when I was 15. Remembering my parents
who had done their best and the youth groups with inspiring
leaders like Chuck and Jane, I knew I had much greater
potential than my years of drinking and drugging.
I found
my way to drug and alcohol treatment and by age 21 I
was a sober, successful “young
person” in AA. That began the rebuilding of
what is now a beautiful life. I went back to school,
finished two bachelor degrees at Portland State University,
and went on to become licensed in Real Estate.
Although
I was conflicted about religion, I knew that I believed
in God, and I have kept exploring an open belief system. Today, I have
a strong spiritual and emotional life. I have come
full circle, knowing that there is a greater power in the
Universe that guides us if we are willing to listen. Although
I do not follow a specific religion, I think there is a
path for each of us and I have found a very loving one
that works.
I am
now 13 years sober. I run a successful real estate firm,
own several rental properties, and I’ve owned my home since I was 25. I have
spent many days spreading the word of a better life simply
by sharing myself with friends and family around me. They
get to experience the person I am today, after all of the
simple days of putting one foot in front of the other. If
given the opportunity to say something, I would say “thanks” to
the people who were a positive influence in my life through
all of the years. When I needed encouragement there
were sages and guides all along the way who showed me love
and compassion.
In the end, if you just pick
your path and work your plan, keep it simple and never
give up, day-by-day it can and does become a beautiful
life.
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