I have the privilege of periodically speaking at the Assisi Bridge House in Shriever, La. It’s a halfway house for recovering drug addicts. One of the young men that I met there a month ago shared with Jeanne and I that Sept. 1 would be his 33rd birthday.    
On Sunday, we decided to bring a cake and ice cream to celebrate his special day with him and the other house members. The young man enjoyed the celebration as Jeanne cut the cake and served the ice cream. We sang “Happy Birthday,” sat around the table and enjoyed each other’s company.
I asked another young man, age 22, who I also met a month ago, what he enjoyed most about his three months of being drug-free. Without hesitation, he said, “Real friends and real fun!” That caught me by surprise because most young people attempting to get off of drugs fear losing their friends and not being able to have any fun. My standard remark to this is that they don’t have many friends, and evidently, they don’t know what real fun is.
The casual get-together was relaxing and enjoyed by all of the 15 men there.  
As we drove home, Jeanne said, “I think he really appreciated us remembering his birthday.” We both agreed that this small gesture reminded us that it’s the little things in life that people remember and could possibly make a difference. I’m confident that everyone, including Jeanne and I, felt good about the unorganized birthday party.  
The negative results when working with drug addicted people is that only a small percentage gets delivered. In reality, of the 15 men there, maybe only two will be successful in maintaining a drug-free life.
Sometimes I’m asked if I get discouraged when a person doesn’t change their life. My answer is “no.” My only job is to spread the message. Only God can change their hearts.
If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.