Real men

400 guys in one room laughing, hugging, greeting , meeting, welcoming and sharing. Honest, kind, gentle as well as boisterous, raucous and bawdy. Men from different creed, religions, ages, races, sexual identities, states and countries. The unusual part, at least in my experience was very little judging, intolerance or gossip. No macho strut or one upmanship The focus was on similarities and recovery from the disease of addiction via a spiritual path. The food was pretty good too.

Traveled to San Diego for the event in an RV with 5 other guys who I already knew but know better now. Got along the whole trip.

The men I know in recovery came from all sorts of family or lack thereof, experiences. Many of us grew up with some degree of domestic violence, sexual abuse, incest or rape. I often hear men who first used drugs with parents as early as 7 or 8 years old. Many grew up with criminal role models. Amongst us are some who grew up to perpetrate those experiences on others, and many who have done time in jail and/or prison.

The common experience among all of us is that for whatever reason,or no reason, we became drug addicts. Some via alcohol or marijuana or speed or heroin or ecstasy or acid or tulenol, seconal, or anything at all. I sponsored a younger guy who liked to steal several packets of Coriciden, take all the pills at once and come to in the emergency room.

Such men are my comrades in recovery, and such men comprised the 400 at the Men's Spiritual Retreat of my weekend. I saw miracles because my eyes were open and I noticed. Men with from 43 years to just a few days clean. In recovery we grow up and out of low self esteem, self sabotage, rage and disrespect for the gift life. Our relationships are mended and we learn how to build new and healthy relationships with our friends, brothers and sisters, children, parents and we become good husbands. Cops can follow us and we don't have to worry about outstanding warrants. We become useful, productive and valuable members of society. And, we just don't use drugs anymore, at all.

Cancer? Yes I.ve got it. A nasty form I hear from the docs. And I believe in miracles - I see them all around. God is alive and active, loving and caring, and He has always had my back. God can't do what?
Bill