He just turned sixty. He has a lovely wife and an excellent business. I met him in a
Veterans P.S.T.D. therapy group. We have become friends; I've had dinner with him and
His wife. I haven't seen him for a few months.
I was surprised when his wife called and asked me to rush to his apartment. I had no
idea you and "bill" were living apart." "I can't stand his drinking, "she said. He spends
over $700 a month on alcohol. " She went on to say her husband enjoyed lively discussions, and my number was available.
I opened his apartment door and was stunned to finding him drinking, half on the floor with drool coming out of his mouth.I saw a yellow color under his eyes.
We rushed him to the hospital The doctor said he had close to a 4.0 on the blood -alcohol scale.
A friend and I picked him up from the hospital and took him immediately to the Veterans hospital. It's back into rehab for him. He wasn't pleased we did that
but seemed to understand his liver and his life hung in the balance.
I want all veterans coming home from the big "sandbox" to learn from us
in the Vietnam crowd. "Bill" (no that's not" his real name.) This man had a great business and a lovely wife. Still,memories from a war a million years ago is about
ready to make him loose everything.
I have no idea what ALL is wrong with my friend. He already has been in rehab
twice before.I know he held his memories deep inside him for years, he was a medic
and had lots of ugly things to remember. He SHOULD have dealt with his P.T.S.D.
earlier in his life. The same can be said for me and other veterans.
Follow me beneath the fold.
Learn to deal with your memories directly. learn to say" I own what happened and I
am going to face these memories, and say I will give them no more power over me."
Only when you deal with your past, can you learn to live in the present moment. I didn't
say day, I said moment.
You have seen the dark and ugly part of life. Now you can see the sunshine. Learn to live
Every moment as if it were the last moment you get on this planet. You know what I'm
Talking about.Others don't get it.Learn to take 30 minutes for just yourself. Study
meditation. Take up yoga. I hope you will try to start running or swimming 30 minutes
A day. When you feel agitated, slow down and breathe slowly. Say one thousand one,
One thousand two, etc. Do that for 30 seconds.
Don't waste your life like many of us did. I wish I had learned these things 30 years ago.
I want you to live and laugh and find joy and magic in life; you deserve it.
-We are not
living in eternity.
We have only
this moment,
sparkling like a
star in our hand,
and melting like
a snowflake.
-MARIE BEYON RAY