Follow the yellow brick road. The Munchkins told Dorothy to follow the yellow brick road and then broke out into song about it. But the Munchkins could only help guide her to the end of Munchkinland and then she was on her own. I find myself breaking out into song often and lately singing this very song. FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.
WHY?
Why am singing this song to myself? The subconscious is a wonderfully mysterious thing. Maybe my mind is trying to tell me something or help me feel better. Follow the yellow brick road. That’s it?! Just like Dorothy, I ask “where does it lead?” I just want to be home. “This is way to complicated and there are too many unanswered questions.” I Say to myself. But for some reason, I listen and press on because maybe do believe it leads to the Emerald City or it leads to Hope. I I Come across different individuals throughout my journey. Individuals that think they are missing things that have been there the whole time, they just needed someone to help them and show them where it is.
The Lion that needed courage, though he had the courage the whole time. The Tinman that didn’t have a heart actually had the biggest heart and the scarecrow that had no brain solved the hardest problem. All came to find they had the missing treasures all along, only with the help of Dorothy and her love, tolerance and patience did they realize the truth.
Dorothy was fearless but still was scared at times. She had to pull these very different and adverse characters together to conquer the wicked witch and get to the Emerald City.
Ok. Yes compare myself to Dorothy because it is sometimes the only way can make sense of our government, social issues and my motivations for continuing to try in such hopeless times a. When everyone else has turned in the towel, I continue on a dark less traveled path because believe it will lead to promise.
There are times when there are no peers at my side, must choose to move forward with only the yellow brick road guiding me. I must trust that the road will guide me to the Emerald City.
Believe in recovery, have been given many given. One is my faith and trust in God. Two, is brains. The stigma on addiction and alcoholism is still so strong that, at times, am only looked at as “an addict”. Like the scarecrow, believed those lies. People believed was worthless, so I lived in fear the the lion, believing had no courage and People looking at me as though all I am is an addict. Addicts, alcoholics, “crazy people” and “junkies” have hearts and many times they have bigger hearts then they can deal with. Sometimes the people with the biggest hearts are the most at risk for addiction because the empathy level iOS higher than most.
Ok. What do need you do to? I need you to follow your yellow brick road and do not let anyone or “wicked witch” stop you from moving forward in hopes of reaching the Emerald City. Hope is the most important thing when it comes to the unknown. Ther argument is “How can you argue with hope?”
Come to a public meeting or read an article from our congress on the opioid crisis. Is our government instilling fear like the Wicked Witch or instilling courage as Dorothy would do?
Dorothy didn’t know these individuals she helped from a lick of paint, but she had principles that guided her and showed her how to treat human beings no matter what they look like or how scary they could be.
I am someone who must continue seeking and the more seek, the more I find and the less I really know. I do know we could use the Wizard of Oz or say the Governor to come out from behind the curtain and assure the people or “the Munchkins” that he will do the right thing for the people with addiction and bring better care and treatment.
Whatever it is you do on your journey, whether it be science math social work politics childcare accounting, please treat people with addiction with esteem and respect. You never know what gifts they truly have. Second chances are priceless and maybe a founding principle.
Keep following the Yellow Brick Road, Help people along the way and have the courage to face the unknown.
After all, someone has a got to do it. Peer advocacy is a noble adventure that not everyone is built to do. But are you? Are you willing to sail the uncharted waters so others can have a more clear road map to get to the Yellow Brick Road?
#BeBold #HavePatienceandBeKind #HopeStreetDE #YellowBrickRoad