08-22-2014, 01:57 PM
Lucas smiled at her words. "Appropriate. Heh. Ok, good. Remember, this is church, so no club wear ok? I'll have trouble focusing if you do."
He laughed. She was very beautiful and athletic and so probably would be a knockout in anything like that. But he also knew that just wasn't her style. He was sure she knew he was teasing though.
"I look forward to seeing you tonight. It'll be nice."
His voice dropped to more serious. "I really am glad you called me. You have no idea. You are doing good Aria. You keep it up. You're gonna beat this, I promise."
After she hung up, he put his wallet down, smiling. Yep, she really wanted help and was willing to actively do the work. And that is what gave him hope. Because in the end, no matter what he offered, if she just wanted emotional support but didn't proactively work at it, she'd never get out.
He knew that from experience. For the first few months, Valentin was primarily an emotional support and he thought it would be enough to go to him for help, especially when he was down. And he did, for a while. But nothing really got better except for those brief moments of peace after talking to him. In the long run, the core issues were being ignored.
It was only when he got into AA and finally had structure that things took a turn for the better. He was taking active steps to fix things. And his self respect began to grow. The words of St. Paul became his mantra "So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air." From then on, he would have a clear goal in mind, his 'punches' or efforts had to count, had to connect with something solid. He began setting goals and scheduled activities and then, as hard it was, even on the days when he just didn't want to, he made himself do them. He wrote down his triggers and what to do when they came and did it. And most of all he recognized that he had to surrender to God, that without his help, he'd not make it. But surrendering meant realizing that he couldn't be half-hearted about his efforts. God would only help him if he gave 100 percent effort and followed his routine religiously. It sounded contradictory, but it worked.
And despite relapses and tears and agony, despite the clawing hunger or the despair that ate at him, he clung to his faith and his routine and gradually made his way out. Valentin was there for him through it all. But it hadn't been until he himself had decided that things must change and then acted on it that they really did. It had saved his life. But deep in his heart, he knew the seed was there, waiting. So even to this day, he followed it.
Aria seemed to be there now. He hoped she was. The struggle would be hard. And he had no idea what relapse or going backwards would mean for her. But he had faith. And he wouldn't give up. As long as she kept trying, really trying, he would be there.
The door dinged and a guy walked in, another customer. Lucas got back to work. But in the back of his mind, he was thinking about Aria and hoping that she stuck with it.
He laughed. She was very beautiful and athletic and so probably would be a knockout in anything like that. But he also knew that just wasn't her style. He was sure she knew he was teasing though.
"I look forward to seeing you tonight. It'll be nice."
His voice dropped to more serious. "I really am glad you called me. You have no idea. You are doing good Aria. You keep it up. You're gonna beat this, I promise."
After she hung up, he put his wallet down, smiling. Yep, she really wanted help and was willing to actively do the work. And that is what gave him hope. Because in the end, no matter what he offered, if she just wanted emotional support but didn't proactively work at it, she'd never get out.
He knew that from experience. For the first few months, Valentin was primarily an emotional support and he thought it would be enough to go to him for help, especially when he was down. And he did, for a while. But nothing really got better except for those brief moments of peace after talking to him. In the long run, the core issues were being ignored.
It was only when he got into AA and finally had structure that things took a turn for the better. He was taking active steps to fix things. And his self respect began to grow. The words of St. Paul became his mantra "So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air." From then on, he would have a clear goal in mind, his 'punches' or efforts had to count, had to connect with something solid. He began setting goals and scheduled activities and then, as hard it was, even on the days when he just didn't want to, he made himself do them. He wrote down his triggers and what to do when they came and did it. And most of all he recognized that he had to surrender to God, that without his help, he'd not make it. But surrendering meant realizing that he couldn't be half-hearted about his efforts. God would only help him if he gave 100 percent effort and followed his routine religiously. It sounded contradictory, but it worked.
And despite relapses and tears and agony, despite the clawing hunger or the despair that ate at him, he clung to his faith and his routine and gradually made his way out. Valentin was there for him through it all. But it hadn't been until he himself had decided that things must change and then acted on it that they really did. It had saved his life. But deep in his heart, he knew the seed was there, waiting. So even to this day, he followed it.
Aria seemed to be there now. He hoped she was. The struggle would be hard. And he had no idea what relapse or going backwards would mean for her. But he had faith. And he wouldn't give up. As long as she kept trying, really trying, he would be there.
The door dinged and a guy walked in, another customer. Lucas got back to work. But in the back of his mind, he was thinking about Aria and hoping that she stuck with it.