November 2006

Once again it is time for my annual November letter highlighting the past year’s events and sharing some of my opinions and philosophy…….which I am never short on. I begin by sending you greetings from Crossroads in Minnesota where addiction ENDS and LIFE begins anew. Yes, it can be pretty cold here in the Northland, but then it gives us all a good excuse to huddle around a warm fireplace and eat junk food. You have to have a strong commitment to sobriety and a willing spirit to brave the elements up here.
Our residents have just that……….commitment and spirit.

This past year has been full some challenging events, like living in a three story building with no working elevator for three months. Think about carrying your laundry basket from the basement up to the 3rd floor. Oh how we take things for granted. It’s like having no dishwasher and you have to remind yourself that you CAN wash dishes by hand. Come on, I do know how to take the steps… Oh by the way, the reason for no elevator was because we had to replace it and get a new one installed. There were many twists and turns to the procedure before we could get it installed and going up and down. I do want to mention, that during this event, our residents never once complained. I was very grateful because I was completely helpless over the situation, and their understanding and support were a pure gift. I thanked them often.

I am always amazed at the plethora of mood-altering drugs in our world and how easily people can fall victim to them. Addiction has no boundaries. A large percentage of our residents come from good homes and loving families. They are educated, have held lofty positions in the workplace and achieved many personal successes. However all is lost when addiction enters on the scene. Perhaps you watched as a well-meaning person stood at the edge of life ready to throw it all away for another drink or hit of heroin. I get calls from parents, spouses, and friends asking for guidance on what to do next, now that their loved one has entered our program. Their emotional frustration and feelings of helplessness are overwhelming and difficult to manage. I try to validate those feelings and tell them that we will take it from here; that they have done enough. While Crossroads cannot guarantee that everyone will be successful in their search for sobriety, we can guarantee that we will make available to each resident, the tools they need to fight through their addiction. More importantly, we’ll show them how to use those tools. Remember, the tough stuff happens after treatment when people have to live in the “real world” and encounter daily challenges, such as returning to a job (or finding one), enrolling in college, managing finances, entering back into the family system, and developing a new sense of self. When I’m no longer being an active addict, who am I?

I believe in the human spirit and the ability for people to turn away from destructive behaviors like drinking too much or taking drugs. I also believe that they need a life-line and a helping hand to do this. Crossroads stands alone in providing recovery services at an affordable cost. Most people leaving treatment have lost so much, including the ability to meet financial obligations. They struggle to get any kind of assistance. This is where you come in. You can be that LIFE-LINE that HELPING HAND. Please consider giving your support by sending a donation. Your gift is completely tax deductible and you will sleep with a smile on your face.

Warmest Regards,

Sharron Johnson
Executive Director

"Just when the caterpillar thought
the world was over;             
it became a butterfly"