by Phil Anderson
Today is Christmas Day, 2011.  It has been a very interesting year, to say the least.  I won’t go into the details but suffice it to say, it’s been a challenge to stay positive.

I had the opportunity to travel to Seattle a couple of days ago, on the 23rd, for my families Christmas party which was held at my sisters’ place.  All of my immediate family and their families were there.  I hadn’t seen my youngest sister since last year at this time, which was the longest I’ve ever gone without seeing her.  My oldest daughter was also there, up from California for the holiday’s.  She’s about to enter her last semester of college and I’m so proud of her work ethic.  She truly lives value to the fullest without going overboard (very often).

The night was fantastic.  Warm atmosphere, warm music, warm food and warm conversations.  There was only one person missing and that was my youngest daughter, Tabitha.  She has been tussling with drug addiction, and not winning the tussle.  She has been struggling for a couple of years pretty severly.  She’s been to a number of drug rehab facilities and even jail a few times.  In fact, that is where she spent Thanksgiving this year and is spending Christmas today.  She is only 19.  I really wanted (I don’t know if that’s accurate but I knew it was something that I had to do) to visit her before leaving Seattle.

After a restful night sleep on heavenly mattresses and pillows at the Westin in Seattle, I drove to the Kent facility where she’s staying and went through the process to visit her (rid myself of my cell phone, etc…).  She has always claimed that whenever she looks at the clock and it says either 1:11 or 11:11 and it freaks her out.  As I have written before, I have a gratitude alarm that goes off everyday at 1:11 in the afternoon.  It reminds me to be thankful for what I have, which has been something I haven’t done earlier in my life.  It also reminds me of my youngest daughter and is a way for me to help teach her that she can also turn it around and consider those times lucky rather than unlucky.

As I walked down the long, sterile hallway toward the last door I would have to enter before seeing her, I was overwhelmed with anxiety over seeing my daughter in prison attire.  This really was not my idea of Christmas Eve.  I came to the series of doors and looked at which of the five I could choose to go in and found door P111.  Perfect!

When I entered, I was greeted with a small room, about 3′x6′ with a chair, a table top, a phone and a pretty thick piece of glass.  After about two minutes she entered her room, located on the other side of the glass.  With a big smile she picked up the phone and we started talking.  I was worried that we wouldn’t have much to say.  We had a maximum of 30 minutes.  How would we fill it up?

Well, we did.  It was a great conversation.  She sounded good.  She looked good, with the exception of some acne.  She hasn’t used drugs in over a month, which ironically is exactly how long she’s been in jail.  She’s now in a court appointed drug program that will take about a year to complete.  After she’s released in late January she’ll live in a sober house and continue the program.  She seemed excited at the opportunity.  She laughed and smiled a lot.  The last time I had seen her was almost three months ago and she was a different person.

She told me about her days, her classes and what she’s learning.  She said the thing she really is learning is that change is the only constant in our lives, especially those with drug addiction.  She said that phrase at least four times.  “I’m learning that change is really the only constant, Dad.”

I realize that is the same for all of us.  Life IS constantly changing.  WE are constantly changing.  So many people are afraid of change.  We should embrace change.  It IS our only constant.

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  Thank you for reading.  And, as the young boy whispered, “God bless everyone.”