After that sinks in, consider this: virtually EVERY teen has ready access to heroin.
Regardless of where the blame lies, it’s on all of us to fix this. I’m proudly waving the Rotary International (“Rotary”) flag on this one: they’re battling drug addiction as an epidemic like polio – and putting money and resources into it.
Rotary consists of 30,000+ local clubs (01945 has two). It’s perfectly positioned to provide educational and support services at the community level.
Everyone recognizes there’s a HUGE cost difference between proactive and reactive approaches to the crisis – but we need both to a) effectively address prevention (a combination of education, sticks and carrots), and b) compassionately treat and support those already addicted.
Fraffy’s old breakfast club is forming a committee to assess how best to utilize and coordinate Rotary’s vast resources with OUR local resources and needs.
Interested? Please respond hereto – or reach out directly to any Rotarian and ask about it.
Want to know my story?
I’m 60. I’m an addict. Always have been.
I made a decision one morning as a teen that drastically altered the course of my life. At the time, I assumed it was because I was chicken. Today, I’m not so sure.
A little background: I was a momma’s boy: her first & arguably favorite – arguably, because she never expressed her feelings. No I love you. No hugs. But disappoint her…..
The only time I felt worse was when I had my heart torn out by a young thing named Joanne. In the end, yours truly was “too slow” for Joanne! I was 14.
I was inconsolable for days. I consciously decided THAT was never happening again.
It’s no coincidence that shortly after saying goodbye to Joanne I said hello to alcohol – my gateway drug. A few years later, one morning during the summer between high school and college, I sat across the kitchen table at my best friend’s house while he demonstrated how to ‘boot up’: syringe in hand, belt around the arm above the elbow, etc.
I couldn’t do it.
I’ve always assumed it was fear of pissing off my mother (the woman was uncannily perceptive) – or my fear of needles. In hindsight, it may have been much more. Clearly, my need to find “perfect peace” hasn’t let up!!
It’s led me to become self-realized, though admittedly I’m still light years from being self-actualized!! For the curious: therein lies the difference between yoga & qigong. 😉
Self-realization and actualization can’t be taught or gifted. Each of us has to slug it out personally – and while battles are won and lost along the way, the war never ends. Bleak? Perhaps, but the terrific news is that we each have the inborn (God-given!) capacity to experience true bliss – and I won’t ever stop trying to help others find it in themselves.
Self-awareness (meditation) leads to self-appreciation and love (first, for oneself, then for all). It’s the only thing I’ve found in a lifetime of searching that’s stronger than my psychological and/or physiological addictions. [Again, I can’t speak about heroin addiction, though if anything will get someone over the hump, it’s true self-awareness.]
Blessings, Skip❤️😊🕉
Join me and my fellow Rotarians in standing up against addiction and its lifelong consequences.
Come express your views, concerns and opinions and listen to those who previously haven’t been touched by addiction, those who live with it, and community leaders and advocates for our town’s youth.
Let’s get the life-ending stuff off our streets. Let’s do it for our children and theirs.
btw – Rotary (by policy) is nonpolitical ❤️
