I just moved to the town of my choice. I mean I really got to say "Where in the world do I want to live?" Not saying I had unlimited finances...but, still..what an opportunity!
I read in the local newspaper this week about how the town was up at arms to keep a substance abuse treatment center out of the town. They can't legally do it, but they wish they could and they are using every loophole they can to get it to locate somewhere else.
This is a small town.
My first reaction was that this was an ignorant reaction.
Today I feel differently.
Would I choose to live next door to a treatment center?
No freaking way!
I was in the hospital back in June for a mental illness...boy, does that carry stigma!...I wasn't there by choice after the first 24 hours. I got to spend 6 days with other people on the locked ward.
There was not one addict on that ward that wanted off their drugs. Not one.
There WERE people slipping their drugs into their pockets instead of taking them and then selling them or trading them for favors.
There was a lot of laughter about getting high and partying.
There was one recovered (from drugs) person there. She was also admitted due to mental illness.
Now, what if they wanted to move a mental health clinic next door?
No! I would not want that either.
But I did like living 4 blocks from one....the only thing I liked about that town in Oklahoma I moved from.
I am so ambivalent about this.
I really appreciate the verse Anvil posted. I think of that alot and I had wondered what verse it was for a period of time now. Thank you.
I do pick up my feet and move away from addicts in a way I do not do with any other people.