Thank you for checking out today’s Grateful Heart Monday entry, where gratitude is my only expression in my writing, which for today, albeit a brief one, does not represent any less of how truly grateful I am for those friends and loved ones who remained in my life through my many addiction years and are still there now.
Sadly, a life of addiction took many beautiful people from me who I once loved dearly, all because I became so totally incapacitated from one addiction after another, where each prevented me from showing them how much I truly loved and appreciated them. My addictions to alcohol, drugs, sex, and romantic pursuits over the years consistently led to the loss of one friend after another that once stood loyally by my side with plenty of love and support. Thankfully though, a few did remain, even through all the pain and anguish my addictions caused them.
My sister Laura, my best friend Cedric, my dear friends Dexter, Louie, Marvin, Debbie, Scott, and my recently departed friend Keith are the loyal few who each endured the insanity my addictions brought upon their life and still loved me nonetheless enough to stick around. Sometimes I’m amazed they did, given all the selfishness I once exhibited from my addictions and the incredible pain that caused them.
Addiction truly caused a mass exodus from my life and tends to usually do so to anyone’s life when addiction becomes the center of their existence. And the longer one succumbs to an addiction, the lonelier the addict generally becomes as even the most loyal of friends and loved ones tend to walk away when the pain of sticking around gets great enough.
That’s why I’m so thankful for Laura, Cedric, Dexter, Louie, Marvin, Debbie, Scott, and Keith, as each were there for me time and time and time again over the years, even when I really didn’t deserve it. I’m so thankful they are all still there for me today, including Keith who remained by my side up until the day he died.
I honestly don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully repay the debt of gratitude I have for each of you for the faith you kept in me even when I didn’t have any of that in myself. I love each of you incredibly for that and dedicate today’s Grateful Heart Monday for always remaining by my side even when my former life of addictions caused everyone else to leave…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
