Parallel

At work, I watch out the window at the people walking by the house. These people who walk the same street nearly every day yet none of them ever meet. They live these parallel lives to each other without even realizing it. I’ve worked in this recovery house for 2 years now and I can tell you I’ve never spoken to any them.

It makes me think about the guys that live here. Most of them don’t interact with anyone in this neighborhood other than the people that live with them. I can understand it to a point because there’s so much stigma behind drug addiction. But it makes me wonder just how many amazing people and opportunities they’ve missed because they’re afraid of being judged.

In all honesty, their lives aren’t much different than the people I watch. They go to work, come home, cook dinner, hang out, and watch TV. Yes, their lives also include NA and AA meetings as well as counseling but that doesn’t make them completely different than anyone else. They are people just the same.

I hope that one day these guys no longer feel the stigma. I hope they can one day walk out on their front porch and engage others in conversation. I hope they learn to open up and see that not everyone looks down on them and that some of us can actually see what amazing, hardworking people they are.