Sunny Snaith on Addiction

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*ascends soap-box*

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America is full of

V I O L E N C E ,   A D D I C T I O N ,

E A T I N G   D I S O R D E R S ,   D E P R E S S I O N ,

A L C H O L I S M ,   C R I M E ,

T E E N A G E   P R E G N A N C Y ,   S U I C I D E . . .

I agree that we desperately need to address these problems but shouldn't we look for the root cause? Shouldn't we address the disease, not just these symptoms?

I think that something absolutely tragic has happened to this nation: We've lost our happiness, our ability to enjoy life, our contentment. We hate our world, our government, our lives, and often our own bodies . . . No wonder we seem to do everything we can to destroy them.

The cure is not simple or easy but it does exist!

Joy and contentment and hope are all expressions of a focus on the future. The individuals who hope and work toward a better tomorrow are the ones who achieve better tomorrows. If your sole focus is on the present moment, who cares about the consequences of your actions? If you are mired in shame and despair for your past, how can you ever hope to gain the confidence to break free? We must instill in our children a focus on the future!

We also need to invest ourselves in one another, to feel part of something bigger than ourselves, to feel that our contribution is meaningful and that without us nothing would be the same. This isn't something you get from a once-a-year puppet show or from a 'twelve step' program.

The REAL cure is a spiritual revolution:

People finding a higher purpose in their lives.

This comes from positive parenting, positive schooling, and frequently from finding God.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying that just going to Church or Temple or Synagogue is the panacea for all our problems. What I AM saying is that basing your self-worth on the unconditional love of God, knowing there is a brighter future and that your life has meaning regardless of your past -- these are the things that facilitate true growth and happiness.

If you shun religion, keep in mind that a philosophical approach to perfection and the future will also help. An athiest with a strong sense of social duty or a belief in Plato's 'ideals' feels compelled to contemplate and work toward a utopian society.

Remember:

S U C C E S S   is getting what you want

. . . B U T . . .

H A P P I N E S S   is wanting what you get.

It sounds trite but it's true: Happiness is not something we find in life, it is something we create. It's not the right job or the right drug or the right lover . . . it's a mind-set, a determination, a WILL to be happy.

Do something today to make a difference in someone else's life. Make someone feel loved, noticed, important -- EVERY DAY! You'll never know how much these little actions can change someone's life: A tiny bit of attention may be the exact nudge someone needs to draw back from the brink of self-destruction.

G E T   I N V O L V E D !

It will help you as much as it helps them!

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*bows to crowd and steps down from soap-box*

:-)

P.S.: I, myself, have at one time or another been affected by or stuck in
every one of the problems listed at the top of this post . . .

Have faith:
There IS hope!     There IS victory!


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