NAME: Christopher S.

SOBRIETY DATE: January 4th 2003

Prior to my stay at the Puente House, I was under the impression that I had complete control over my life, however, the 'complete contro' that I was so sure of ended up landing me in jail. By the time I was finally incarcerated at the age of 33, I had pretty much run my life and the life of everyone around me into the ground. After realizing I had almost no one and nothing to turn to, the court system gave me the opportunity to serve out the rest of my prison sentence in the Puente House. At that time, it seemed like a great idea to get me out of jail, but I had no idea how much I actually needed what the Puente house had to offer me.

My arrival at Puente House was a bit of a culture shock. I was completely drained emotionally & spiritually; and I was convinced that no one there could ever relate to me or would be able to help me. I kept telling myself, "I'm different than all these people", But isn't that what we all think - the very thought that keeps us from participating in anything worthwhile our entire lives.... But I was surprised to find that those same people that I sat in judgment of loved me in spite of myself, and directly because of that love, the residents and staff of the Puente House showed me a better way. Through living at the Puente House, I was re-introduced to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 steps of recovery. I know some of you are thinking "Shit - AA again?" I thought the same thing. But I'm here to tell you that I have tried it all, from religious studies to self-help books to therapy to jail, but for now the simple steps of AA and the support from the Puente House are the only things that keep the 'isms' in remission. As a result of my residency at the Puente House combined with working the steps, I was given some basic tools that a recovering drug addict and alcoholic like myself needs to participate in this thing that everyone has been talking about - this thing called life. The Puente house provided for me the perfect environment to set aside my heart and mind so I could unlearn some of the bad habits and patterns I had established in my life. I am in no way suggesting that life has become perfect, nor have I become perfect myself, but today I can at least accept my humanness with a new confidence, thus when life gets hard every now and again, I am at the very least present to deal with it. That in itself is exciting to me. I have been given a new opportunity to trust God, clean house and help others - on a daily basis. That's how it works.

Today I have been given a new lease on life. I have been given the tools to handle situations that used to baffle me, and I now experience life from a totally new perspective. Yeah, life still shows up. But today it's usually not long before that situation is dealt with and I am on my way, whatever the circumstances may be. Somehow by working with others, inside I experience a new sense of peace and am developing a new sense of self-esteem, and all because I have been given a choice and a set of spiritual principals to live by that allow me the discernment to participate in consequential thinking and worthwhile acts.