An Open Letter To You - The One Struggling with Addiction

An open letter to you - the one struggling with addiction. It doesn't matter what your name is, it only matters that you listen carefully.

I write this letter to you, in hopes that you will see your true worth. You, my dear, are worth so much more than you realize. Yes, I know that you have done things you regret, and frankly things we all wish you hadn't, in the name of this unquenchable craving you have. You have hurt your family, this is true. I see those things you've done, I am not blind to the truth. The thing is, I also see you.

I see the heartbreak in your eyes, I see the weariness. I see your self-doubt, your pain, your anger. I see the panic because you don't know how you will find a way to get high again, the desperation as you consider your options. Do you steal? Lie? Sell your yourself - body or soul? I see you.


I see who you really are, too. Behind your eyes - even when they're slightly unfocused or glazed over. I see you. I know you are trying to numb the pain, and just not feel anything for a while. You never meant for things to be this way. You never meant to hurt anyone, much less those you love most. You don't know your way out, but I know you don't want this. Nothing is worth the way you feel when the high is over and all there is around you is destruction.

I see you. I see you and I want you to know these things I am about to say. Please listen carefully, even if you and I never speak again.

I see you and want you to know that you are worthy of love. Worthy of every kind of love - God's, family, romantic, and my love, too.

I see you and want you to know that you will never be worthless. I forbid you to ever say that about yourself again. You are worth everything. You are especially worth hope.

I see you and want you to know that you are strong. So far you have survived every day you have ever lived. That's a pretty good track record. You survived what got you here, you've survived what this has done to you, and YOU ARE strong enough to survive tomorrow, too. Believe it!

I see you and want you to know that I will NEVER EVER give up on you. Until my last breath, or yours, I will hold out hope for you. I will believe enough for the both of us, until you can believe too.

I see you and want you to know that I pray for you. Yes, I know you and God stopped being friends a while back. That's okay. He's my best friend and we are gonna talk about you. I accept a lot of things that you do that I wish you wouldn't. This is one you'll have to accept about me, okay?

I see you and want you to know that you have choices. You feel out of control, and you kinda look out of control sometimes, too, to be honest. Your bad choices seem to be multiplying beyond your ability to stop them. The good news is that you can choose, for today, for right now, for this moment, to put on the brakes and say STOP! I will be there for you when you are ready to take back control. I will be there if you aren't ready to do that, too.

I see you and want you to know that you matter. Yep, someone else can mow your mom's lawn, take your girl to the movies, tuck your kids in at night. If you aren't here, the world will still turn. It just won't turn for any of us in the same way without you. We need your specific laugh, your exact hug, your love - no one can replicate it or replace it. You matter, you will always matter.

I see you and want you to know that I don't want to do life without you. I don't want to wake up the way I have for months - a pit in my stomach, knot in my throat feeling that this will be the day they tell me I have lost you. I can't lose you. I can't live without you being here.

I see you and want you to know that you are loved. If you skipped all the words in between, if you never hear my heartfelt cry to come home and be you again, hear this:

You are so loved. You have always been loved. You will always be loved. Endlessly. Without exception. You are loved.