Last weekend, I was asked to speak at a drug rehabilitation center in Mandeville.

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, I spoke about being thankful.

The group consisted of 21 men seeking help for various drug addictions.

I decided to ask each man what they were most thankful for.

Most of the answers were routine, not really anything that would invite more questions, until one young man shocked me.

He shared that he was thankful that his mother was dead. (She had died a few years ago of a drug overdose.)

I asked if he could elaborate a little on why?

“She is the person who introduced me to drugs at an early age and is the one who encouraged me and was an enabler in my addiction.”

“It sounds as though you really hated your mother.” 

“I did!” You could feel the hardness of his heart as he spoke.

I shared with him that even though his mother is dead, she is still manipulating him with the bad memories that he has about their relationship.

As he listened, I said, “I’m sure you have a few good memories of her. I suggest, in spite of her being deceased, that you write her a letter and thank her for loving you as only she could. Thank her for carrying you for nine months, instead of having an abortion. I would end the letter by telling her that you hated what she did, but have found in your heart to forgive her, because you want to be free of the bondage of the past.”

After the meeting, someone asked, “What will writing a letter accomplish? His mother is dead!”

I answered, “The letter is not for his mother, but for him to, hopefully, get rid of the bitterness of the past.”

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.