I was arrested for Assault and have to do DOSE and alcohol treatment. I was a little nervous at first but after a few groups I felt at ease. I felt very calm because I am around people that have the same problems and thoughts. Cynthia was very calm and so funny. She is serious at group but knows how to have fun. Phyllis is very strong and has a heart of gold. I will never forget them and Ray. I have learned that I can us the tools not just for drinking but in everyday situations. Also that speaking with others about common problems does help. I made a major mistake, and I took responsibility for what happened. I came here to do the program with a good attitude and I have learned from my group sessions and my AA meetings.\r
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Another Graduate Reflects\r
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I feel like I just finished running a marathon. As my wife tells me whenever the topic arises (she ran 5 of them the year before we met), completing one depends more on mental than on physical stamina. Nonetheless, although I feel unequivocally and wholly exhausted, I am happy to return to the chaos of my “normal” life. Of course, this doesn’t in the least diminish my deepest appreciation for your caring guidance during these past few months as I began to understand the myriad factors that have contributed to my present circumstances.\r
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I have often marveled at your unfailing ability to create a serene and inviting environment for group sessions, regardless of the identity or number of the participants, whose atmosphere is filled with understanding, safety, and compassion. Of course, this flies in the face of a possible opposing assertion that confining a seemingly incompatible group of strangers to close quarters for three hours while expecting them to share some of their most intimate life details would be unproductive at best. On the contrary, I have discovered that the juxtaposition of my personal situation with those shared by my peers has helped me obtain a quiet and humble appreciation of my many blessings, and so I now feel empowered to continue on my way much happier and confident than if I had tried to reach this point unaided.\r
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Although the completion of this program surely points me in the direction of happier prospects, I also feel somewhat sad. This is because after having made perhaps unconscious but significant connections with some of my peers, I wish I could experience the joy of witnessing their developing stories, including their possible transformation into living and breathing masterpieces consistent with their unique and precious nature, in spite of their past. Douglas Adams’ off-hand existential caricature in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe that “life is wasted on the living” seems strangely appropriate here. Personally, I have no intentions whatsoever of wasting any more of my life.\r
Graduate of the First Step Program.\r
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Graduate of the First Step Program\r
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