Stories

Everyone has their own story. Last Wednesday, I was invited to sit in on an interview for a web series called True Stories of Addiction (link below). Before going in, I was warned that they (the interviewers) had not heard her story before and did not know what she might say about her life, or how graphic she might be. Knowing this, I sat down and prepared for whatever may come.
The interview started off calmly, with her simply stating her name, her addiction, and where she grew up. As the interview went on, however, we got into more serious details, such as the first time she used drugs, things she experienced while on drugs, and her personal rock bottom. There was one point, about halfway through, where we took a break, and I felt the strongest urge to give her a hug.
Something you have to understand about this woman is that she is so incredibly strong. I met her briefly before the interview, and I never would have guessed in a million years half the stuff she went through. I think that's true for everyone, though. You can't tell what a person has been through, or is currently going through, just by looking at them, or talking to them for a couple minutes.
This woman's story was full of heartbreak, pain, anguish, trials, anger, and fear, yet the woman I saw in front of me seemed free. As she spoke, I could tell it was all very, very real. She had had life experiences that few have, and she was alive to tell the tale. Not only is she alive to tell her story, but she is healthy. She is sober. She is someone who has found a place in the world as one who can help others the way few can, because of everything in her life up to this point.
She had a light. I don't know how else to describe it. But she glowed with strength, conviction, beauty, lessons learned. While her story was at times extremely difficult to hear, I was better able to handle it knowing the end result. Knowing that everything she was telling us had led to the formation of the woman I saw before me. And knowing that her story doesn't end here, but keeps going, on and on to it's new path. Her new path. The one she has forged for herself out of the darkness and despair that a life of addiction brings.
This woman is wonderful. This woman is so incredibly strong. This woman is honest and open. This woman is one of thousands who go through addictions and all the consequences of it and pull themselves out of it, that decide they no longer want to live that way.
There are many different types of strength. The strength to overcome situations not of your doing, things that are out of your control, to use them to your advantage and rise above. The strength to recognize that you don't like the person you've become, or the choices that you've been making, and the desire to want to change all that. The strength to not play the blame game. The strength to forgive. The strength to go after something you want. The strength to let your feelings and passions show, even if others think you are crazy or unrealistic. The strength to help lift up others without judgment or criticism, just love and mercy, The strength to accept help when needed, and to give help when you can. The list goes on and on.
Everyone has their own story, and therefore, everyone has their own strengths built from a lifetime of experiences unique to them. One person's strength is not the same as another's. My strengths and weaknesses, though on the outside simple to fit into a box or category, are not the same as someone else who has had a similar life. My strengths are my own, and yours are yours, and so on and so forth. If you want to know a person, really know them, look not at their past, but at how far they have come from it. What they have done with the life given them. It is not our circumstances that make us who we are, but rather our choices.
Make the choices that will lead you to who you want to become, every day, in every circumstance.
Everyone has their own story. Make yours a good one.

Link to True Stories of Addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPr25mCkyos