"I like watching people," I said as we stood in the food area of a big and modern shopping mall in Ohio.

He said, "I do now, but before it made me mad. I looked at people smiling and having fun and thought, 'They look free but I have something controlling my life.'"

Opioids are a class of drugs that include synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin^®), hydrocodone (Vicodin^®), codeine, morphine, and many others.

That is where it started with this guy. His comment grieved me to hear of his pain as he works to stay sober.

Each week when I did Chaplain work at Denver Springs, a Behavioral and Addiction Hospital, I talked to people trying to get free from an addiction. So, I've added the "Big Book" from Alcoholics Anonymous to my reading list for this year.

In Akron, Ohio, just a few cities away from my conversation in that mall, AA got started in 1939. Bill Wilson and Dr. William Silkworth learned the grave nature of alcoholism and experienced their sobriety in 1935 and founded this unique and priceless organization.

I've had some bad habits but am not sure if they qualify as addictions. But when I read the materials of Celebrate Recovery, another strong addictive program offered in many churches, I realize that addiction takes many forms: unhealthy relationships, co-dependency, need for approval... And the list goes on. Maybe I'm not as immune as I would like to think I am. With no doubt, I recognize my need and pursuit for emotional and spiritual freedom in ministry and relationships.

The relational environment of AA demonstrates the power of basic caring skills: honor people with your presence, listen and learn their story, be safe and confidential. Those skills provides the relationship and a safe place to do the hard work of the 12 Steps. 

"Thank you for being willing to do the hard work to get free from addiction," I tell the people who are often embarrassed, angry, broken and devastated from the power that controls them. 

And I learn from their struggle and apply the spiritual, relational and internal lessons to my own life. (See an important invitation below and a reading for today from the AA web-site).

As we offer care we will encounter people who are fighting for their freedom/sobriety.

Understanding what they face will benefit your life and help you to help them.

You can buy the Big Book from the AA web-site for $9:50.

Sadly, we can also say "Something else controls our culture."

Last yeare over 10% of people in our country had an a episode of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD -- A lot of names and titles are changing. Problems remain.) last year. Consider the families, employers, accidents and other victims of the negative behavior and the number of people impacted is staggering. The financial costs are calculated at $249 billion dollars.