- Drugs
When I first saw Tar, he was talking to a young man who was thinking about taking the frightening leap of recovery. The tone of the conversation is one I will never forget. He told the young man a bit about his background and that he was there if he needed anything. He showed love and care.
Tar started off telling me he grew up in a family full of law enforcement and he always felt like the black sheep of the family, not knowing how to fit in or how to act around family and others. He was addicted at 16 to methamphetamine and other drugs and ended up running with a gang causing him to be in and out of prison for multiple crimes. His lying, stealing, robbing, and being a drug addict lasted for 16 years until he found meditation, prayer and became active in a sober community.
His hope for a better life started when he moved to Colorado and tried to detox from drugs. Tar relapsed after trying to get clean and it was at that point that he realized he was going to have to put as much work into recovery as he did into using drugs.
Tar picked himself up and got involved in a 12-step program, but that was not enough for him. He had to get active. This is when he found Phoenix Multisport, a sober active living community. He got involved in climbing, boxing, biking and many more sport. He also practiced more meditation and prayer to draw him closer and stronger in his sobriety.
It was amazing hearing him talk about his experience with helping others. As mentioned above, the first time I saw Tar was talking to a young boy about getting sober. I asked Tar, “ What is it like talking to others or young people who are thinking seeking recovery?” He said, “It’s amazing to talk to young people. I never thought I would have lived this great of life. If I can just show them the light and the love they have a chance.”
It was inspirational to sit down with Tar. He wanted me to stress that he was a drug addict of the worst kind in his past and that today people joke with him about not believing he ever had such a past. He described him self as a garden, “Before my garden was dirty, weedy, rotten and not taken care of. But with a lot of work, water, weeding, and cultivating I have a beautiful harvest. As long as I keep it that way, it will continue to be beautiful.”