Reading

So this evening I am feeling well enough to read.  Almost through with a book that my friend Fred from work suggested, well insisted I read.  It is written by Judy Crane, "The Trauma Heart" and it is one of the best books about addiction I have ever read.  I strongly urge you to read it if you or family or friends are dealing with addiction.  She confirms what I have believed for many years, that every addict suffers from trauma.  My favorite quote so far in this book, "we are not bad people trying to be good, we are wounded people trying to heal."

Once in one of my classes a few years ago, I was teaching on Ahimsa ( do no harm).  I made the remark that I struggled with our use of the words bad and good.  That I believed there was goodness in everyone, that sometimes our beliefs, our ignorance or fear stopped us from seeing that but if we are all human then we are all capable of the same things.  A young man became really upset with me and shouted that there were horrible people in the world who deserved to die.  We talked for awhile but I knew in my heart that something horrible ( trauma) had happened to him and until he worked through that, healing would not come.  Sadly, after he left our program, he killed himself.

In this book, "The Trauma Heart" she addresses suicide in those with addictions that it is the final way to numb the pain, but if the addict can acknowledge the grief, can address what the original trauma was, then healing is possible.

This is not light reading, but it is so informative and helpful in better understanding trauma and addiction.

Tomorrow is Wednesday and the last day of February.  Spread some joy, share some kindness, the world is full of hurt.