This post contains letters written on Christmas Eve from a father to his son.
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
My dearest son,
I wish that you were with me for Christmas as a free man possessing self chosen sobriety, honesty, and truthfulness. Sadly, the last time you were free of prison and jail, you were on a self chosen crime spree resulting in your current condition.
I begged you and I pleaded with you to get on the bus and come back to Minnesota and check yourself into the Washington County drug treatment facility I had arranged for your rehabilitation. This was only a year ago Thanksgiving that you had your last free willed choice for sobriety. You chose your addictions, instead of self selected sobriety, you shamed me. You shamed your family. You shamed your grandfather in his dying time.
As of yet I have heard no repentance. All I have heard is the jail house jingle of an addict biding his time. Don’t get me wrong I like what I hear. I simply doubt its sincerity. The only proof of sincerity from you is a well-lived life of sobriety–prison affords you the beginning of that opportunity.
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
My dearest son,
I wish you were with me for Christmas, a free man. Sadly, it will be many years of drug free living before you are a free man. People choose sobriety every day. They like to say that sobriety is one day at a time. I always thought that phrasing was poorly chosen because it excused failure rather than condemning it. But what do I know about such matters?
Sobriety is the greatest blessing you get to truly enjoy this Christmas. I pray your sobriety serve you well and that it help you attain the will power to choose sobriety for the remaining days of your life. Other than my prayers and wishes for you, I will not seek to help you ever again in this life. Your disrespect of my help has sobered me to the reality that you and I are done in terms of me ever helping you materially. You will not get a penny from my estate because I have sworn an oath before God that you will never, ever use the money I give you to buy drugs.
You and I are done in terms of me ever giving or loaning you money. I will never trust your lies again.
