Keep Moving Forward

Keep Moving Forward

By James Staskus

"You are not alone!" One of the most powerful sayings for anyone going through a tough time. That saying can change lives and, even, save lives. There are people all around you that need to hear that. I should know, I am one of those people! Alcoholic's Anonymous is the first place I heard that saying back on November 22, 2007. That's the day I chose to no longer be an active alcoholic! The night before, I was at one of the points in my life. Hearing someone say, "you are not alone," helped save my life. This year, I reached seventeen years of sobriety from alcohol!

The experiences, good and bad, taking place in my life, so far, are the same kind of experiences others have in their lives. You never know what the people around you are going through. Some remain tough on the outside while inside they're falling apart. Some people mask the issue with drugs or alcohol. This could be family members and/or friends in your life. For some, it could be their spouse. Each day they choose to keep moving forward. For some, moving forward is the hardest thing to do.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness as modern society plays it out to be. I admit I was intimidated and scared to ask for help for the first time when I realized I needed to do something about my drinking. Thankfully, the men in the meeting that afternoon had been where I was and my mentality soon changed. I was recommended to attend that meeting by one of the most important men in my life. That morning, while at the lowest point in my life, I called the Alcoholic's Anonymous hotline seeking guidance. The man who took my call, Bruce, helped me save my life.

Eventually, Bruce became my AA sponsor and he taught me to keep moving forward. He taught me that I can live a life without alcohol. He showed me how moving forward, not matter what situation, can keep me alive. Bruce died tragically in a motorcycle accident. That was my first time I put what I learned into action. Through the following years, no matter what situation, I moved forward following deaths, divorces, and a suicide plan I put together. That was before the hardest time of having to keep moving forward.

In 2019, I ended up homeless. I spent 2020 existing in a situation that seemed to be hopeless. I lost my vehicle and ended up having to live on the streets and in and out of homeless shelters. My life turned upside down, spiraling into a new type of darkness for me. I had little bits of time where I thought I was finally out of the woods. Those faded after betrayal. My hope diminished. I had ended up in Illinois living on the street. That is until a local pastor helped find shelter that I was able to reside in. That is for a short time. My physical disability became bad enough that I ended up in a week long hospital stay. Then into a assisted living facility.

After a couple pf months, I was deemed physically well enough to be able to be released. About a month later, I entered the last homeless shelter I have been to. Moving forward, over a year staying there. my hope diminished. Then came the blessing. A housing program associated with my medical group accepted me into their program. An apartment became available to a homeless person to reside in. Before I moved in, I was able to choose the furniture, which became my furniture. When I moved, I can stay in the program for as long as I wanted. Moving forward, I have remained in the program since December 2022. The next blessing I received was being approved for Social Security Disability after a four year fight.

All I did is keep moving forward. The help I've asked for was answered. I'm in a place where I control what happens for me. All I did was keep moving forward.