Habili-blog 1/2/19
Farewell blog “The Comeback Kid”
by Jared Mayes.
It’s incredible how much of my recent lifestyle change can be attributed to one single event. A nap. An unauthorized nap at a simulated drug rehabilitation program. Although seemingly not a very dramatic event, this nap ultimately led to the discovery of a web of lies including but not limited to deceit, thievery and just all around mischief. The unraveling truth exposing that I was a child in a grown man’s body, unwilling to choose right over wrong.
I came to Habilitat on August 18, 2016 because I was very sure that there was something inherently wrong with who I was. This character defect had to be the factor in the whirlwind of drug use and bad decisions that I called life. Today I can be proud of who I am; who I choose to be. There was nothing wrong with me. There were no wires crossed that caused me to put drugs into my body. I was dealing with a much more cunning villain than a personality disorder. I was dealing with a behavior disorder. The unfortunate part of that admission, is that there is nothing and no one to blame other than myself for my past. The scapegoat of my issues had been finally disbarred from employment. The light at the end of the tunnel was that there was hope. Hope that if I remain open-minded and teachable, I could one day fulfill my destiny as a law abiding and contributing member of society.
Tomorrow begins a new chapter of my life. I can now consider myself a successful Habilitat graduate. Meaning I fulfilled my six month probationary period. I, a broken down, homeless junkie, have mustered up the strength and courage to complete the hardest program in the nation. For the last six months I have gained more than I thought possible. I am gainfully employed, I live in a house that I can be proud of, and I own a vehicle. Would this be possible without Habilitat’s help? That question is very debatable. I’m sure I could have gotten where I’m at today somewhere down the line. There is one thing missing with that scenario though. The gratitude of dedicating two and a half years of my life and remaining patient to get where I am at today. I gained these things the right way. At the end of the day a house and a vehicle are material things. However, I earned these things with my blood sweat and tears. I didn’t cut any corners for once in my life.
That is what I owe to Habilitat. They gave me gumption, gratitude, and a pathway that if I follow step by step I can overcome any obstacle that comes my way. To say I haven’t struggled in the last six months since leaving the program would be a lie. When my struggles came about I reached out to family and friends for guidance. I applied collective intelligence and made decisions that would best support my advancement. With the right concoction of critical thinking, trust, and hard work I have been able to in my opinion “Get on my feet.” I spent years of life crawling through life trying to get nowhere fast. There is a reason an infant learns to walk instead of crawl throughout its existence. We as humans were created to stand tall and walk proudly. I am living proof that you can make it through the dark and gain the tools necessary to succeed.
Although I am very proud of myself for making it through the trials of tribulations and not falling like many before me, I ask not for congratulations. As they would say at Habilitat; “Congratulations on doing what you were supposed to be doing all along.” I write this blog updating my situation to give hope to the families who might not understand what their child, sibling, or spouse is doing and going through at Habilitat, that it works. I write this in hopes that maybe someone debating on making the leap of faith coming to Habilitat, that they can see tangible results with myself and hopefully use that as courage to finally do something different in their own lives.
I have always had a strange fantasy that my life could be a movie. In every great sports movie, the team is usually down at half time. The coach comes into the locker room and gives an overwhelming speech of dedication, and inspiration that the team has what it takes to come back and when the game. The team comes out more pumped than ever, beats the odds, plays their hearts out and wins the game. When I decided to come to Habilitat, I was the broken and defeated quarterback. Bruised and bloodied from the first half. Habilitat was my half time speech. Today I feel as if I just broke through the defensive line and scored the buzzer beating touchdown and won. The comeback story of a lifetime. So the question I leave you with. Are you ready for the second half of your lives?