Don't miss your chances
A few months back, a young man came and spoke at my Nar-Anon homegroup. I will call him G.
G is under 30, an alcoholic in recovery for 5+ years, devoted to his program, clean cut, intelligent, handsome, well spoken - a generally nice guy. G got really, really, r-e-a-l-l-y drunk one night and caused a traffic accident in which one person was killed. He was convicted of Vehicular Manslaughter and sent to jail for several years followed by a lengthy period (years) where he wore an ankle bracelet and was under the constant watch of a PO.
G has turned his life and attitude around - he works his program every day and accepts as many invitations / opportunities to speak as possible. In November he spoke at the rehab where my daughter first went.
He is eager to work, but many employers shy away from him because of his past. He found a steady job last summer with a landscaping contractor who is also in recovery, but winter has arrived and landscape work is minimal.
When G spoke at the rehab, we had about 2.5 hours together in the car while we made the trip. During that time he said that what he really wanted to do was sell cars - he has been a "motor head" since he was young and just loves being around them. I mentioned there was a fellow at our church who owns a car dealership. G said he would get in touch with me later and perhaps I could handle an intro for him, I said yes, of course, and promptly forgot about that conversation ----until today.
G called at about 1:00 and reminded me of our conversation. G said that he had gone onto the dealership's website and had seen a "help wanted" ad with a contact person's name -- he called the number and was told that person no longer worked for the dealership. He did not persist with the unknown person at the dealership. He reached out to me instead.
I dashed off a quick e-mail to the dealership owner giving him G's contact information and telling him that G would like to be in sales, but was willing to do anything that the dealership needed - lot man, detailer - anything to be around cars all day!
The owner sent back a very positive e-mail within 15 minutes! So I feel sure that G will at least get a phone call and an interview. He has to handle it from there but at least the door is open a crack.
Ten minutes is all that it took to send that e-mail, maybe it will change the course of G's life.
Don't pass up the chances you get to help someone, especially those in recovery, with a hand up rather than a hand out.
Keep coming back,
Jim