I want you to think about this for a minute…

Have you ever heard someone say that God will never give you more than you can handle?

I have.

I believe that if that were true, then we would have far fewer suicides. Think about that…

However, what God has given us is the ability to feel and to react. God has allowed us to be aware of the things that create unease and given us the ability to say to ourselves, “I must change or I am going to die”. Or, “I can’t take this anymore”. I want you to consider this: how many times have you written those thoughts off and plowed right through the unhappiness and unease; blindfolded in hopes that it will not be “too much”? And then, once again, consider the suicide rate among our beautiful fellow human beings…

The simple fact is that God will give us more than we can handle if you allow it. However, God absolutely gave each and every one of us the tools needed to make life-changing decisions and the free will to guide us. To allow us to want to be happy. To know peace. To smile. To cry tears of joy, too…

Don’t spend another day waking up in panic, another moment wasted in that dreadful cubicle you wish you could escape, and another second or ounce of energy wasted in anger.

Sadness is a tool.

It is trying to illuminate in your soul the desire for change. Your right, your God-given right, is change. Empower yourself to utilize it.

To the addict that still suffers: I would like you to think about one more thing, please. I believe it is the most important thought I can offer you…

I know that in our minds, we resist change because so many of us have to completely “start over”. If we have to start over, and we lack the necessary resources to do so in the relative comfort, or on the timeline we think we need now, we never take the first step. It’s too hard to fathom how it would possibly work. Nothing else does. It’s just not an option to start over.

So, on we go. Day in. Day out. Not changing. The current situation, as painful as it may be, is far less difficult than “starting over.”

Then, consider please, all the people we love, but have lost to addiction. Whether it be accidental overdose, suicide, or car accident. Oh dear God, how we know the list goes on. Those we are thinking of now would undoubtedly be there with us today if they could. Today. Right this very moment, had they not died. But, they did.

Then, think about the people who we witness every day that are miserable and we ask ourselves either out loud or in our minds, “Why don’t they just leave him?”, or “Just get another job” or “Get a divorce” and ad infinitum…

So many unhappy people. Most never decide to change. They never give themselves the permission to be entirely worth their own attention, love, and careful evaluation. They die unhappy with unfulfilled dreams. Many, I imagine, with the simplest and most important dream out of reach. Simple, beautiful peace.

Lastly, consider what, if any, good our addiction, incarceration, and broken lives have to offer us. What gift has God left for us inside this hell?

It is my understanding of my own addiction, incarceration, and broken life that God has given us the most valuable gift of all.

Required change. To begin again. From the start. To Re-imagine, Re-animate, Rebuild and Recreate our lives in their entirety.

The decision at some point will have been taken from us, and God, the universe, and loved ones will demand exactly this of us if we live to see that day.

It may be in a rehab if you’re lucky enough. Or, a dirty jail cell where you, by God’s grace, find yourself instead of a morgue.

Whatever the case may be, the day will come.

I want to challenge any addict reading this to seize the moment and harness the energy here that so many of our loved ones and beautiful strangers all around us miss.

Completely change.

Everything. Entirely.

Re-imagine yourself and become that new dream!

How fucking great is that thought!

Really great! Is it not?! Hold the phone, ladies and gentlemen!

Exciting, happy, maybe a little scary too? But good scary! Do it! DO IT NOW! TODAY. WHO CARES. DO IT RIGHT FUCKING NOW.

I challenge you to allow yourself to want. And then, want more!

For yourself. For your life. For your beautiful, fleeting time here on Earth.

You are allowed to dream. Encouraged even! Get creative!

You were given everything you need to make those dreams a reality. And if not, die trying!

It requires one decision and only one. Decide to value yourself and your time here on this planet.

Once you decide you deserve to be happy (and believe me, you do), the rest will fall into place a little at a time.

Re-imagine, Re-animate, Rebuild and Recreate.

One breath at a time. Never stop. Make progress every day in stepping into your new dream. No matter what. Above all other things, this is the new compass. And not a soul on this planet can confuse your new direction.

WE LOVE YOU. PLEASE, LOVE YOU TOO.