It never does get easier when you lose a child. Holiday’s or not. I share your story often and was so honoured to be part of your training in Stenthgining Your Voice. Keep doing the great work your doing to prevent this from happening to another family..Terri your Sudbury student.😥

Betty-Lou,

The holidays must be so tough. Thank you so much for all that you do to help others and for being on our Advisory Board.

Some good news. Families for Addiction Recovery met with MP Rob Oliphant this morning and he would like to have a summit with 30-40 stakeholders in the new year to discuss how to protect youth with addiction who are not seeking treatment. As you know, this is a subject we have been trying to get on the agenda for some time. It looks like the time has come! Hope you can be involved.

Angie

I always put my self "out there" in posts like this and advocacy in general to "bring the reality home" in hopes of keeping other peoples' loved ones alive.

Over this Christmas season, maybe everyone could think of one way that they could help to humanize and reduce the stigma/ discrimination.

"think of one way that they could help to humanize "

• Betty Lou, thanks for the reminder as people, programs, government take action.  

I'm going try out asking myself this question, each day for the next month, even though I may not see very clearly how it fits into my everyday work in the community as there is much competing noisiness on what is important to do.

I found this article on pharmaceutical companies, helped to get me thinking more about people and addiction.  

The Family That Built an Empire of Pain

https://www.newyorker.com/maga...lt-an-empire-of-pain

You are correct Terri, it never gets easier after losing a child/loved one. Holidays or not.  I am so happy that you posted on this. I really enjoyed having your powerful presence in the Sudbury Strengthening Your Voice (SYV) speakers training. You are an amazing advocate! 

Thanks for posting Angie.  I will always be there to support FAR.  Family members are the "caregivers" and we need to be empowered to help guide our children that are struggling.  I like how you phrased this in your post...."discuss how to protect youth with addiction who are not seeking treatment."  We all may have different ideas regarding how we help our children who are struggling in active addiction and we need to find a way to bridge and be allowed to "think tank".  To nurture open inclusive accepting safe space to dialogue what may seem as contentious.  We need to be "exploration experts". 

.."and boldly go where no one has gone before" (without having to actually go on the Starship Enterprise and into space to do it) LOL     

Thank you so much Bill for adding to this dialogue in such a meaningful and validating way!  Thank you so much for that article.  And you are so right when you mention the ..."competing noisiness on what is important to do". 

The noise itself is becoming a distraction and a whole other dynamic that needs to be negotiated. I find myself constantly trying to negotiate balance and middle ground. Trying to get down to what are the actual "root causes" that need to be looked.  What is the bigger picture?  How do we actually cover the whole continuum of care/needs in the dynamic complexity of "recovery" and/or prevention that is relevant to each individuals fluctuations along that "recovery" journey (or potential recovery journey).

There are so many screaming and competing voices that it can turn into a "who screams the loudest" contest.  That is not a criticism, as I find myself falling into that at times lately when louder, harsher voices drown me.  I have had to consciously reflect and do some critical thinking around not being pushed out of my integrity, living my passion and always striving to do things in a dignified way.

It allows one to advocate for change WITHOUT starting a war.  I call it the “Delicate ROAR”. It becomes part of building a new paradigm of care because we are shifting paradigms through human connection....

            Being the proof that out of chaos comes great awareness

          When you fight back with surrender, dignity and grace

Hurrah for your 

Thank you, Betty-Lou, for keeping the conversation real. I learn from each and every one of your posts.

Bill, That visual is awesome! I am going to steal it!  LOL.. Thanks

Thanks so very much for saying that Rossanna!

I just finished writing my late son's memorial. I have put one in our local Georgetown newspaper every year since he overdosed. I though I would share.

You are an amazing educator Betty Lou!!

Thank you so very much Karyn!   I truly appreciate you saying that. 

I feel that if we can educate the public we can help the understanding of the struggle of loss, complex grief, the ripple effect, the strength in how we cope.  Its what I pride myself in when in meetings with policy makers and shakers.