My Dear Child,

I feel like I’m saying goodbye to you, and in a way, I suppose I am. I will always love you. I want the very best for you and I’m prepared to do the most unnatural thing, a mother can ever do. My minds screams, I’m abandoning you. Oh, I know you’re all grown up, but to me, you’ll always be my baby. That’s part of the problem. My nature is to protect you. I see you broken and despairing, and I am broken and despairing too. If you had cancer, or heart disease, I would fight tooth and nail to get you the care you need. In a strange way, this is me fighting. It’s the hardest fight I’ve ever fought. It would be far easier to stand at your hospital bed, knowing that what I was doing was helping you. But there is no hospital bed. There is no cancer, or heart disease. What there is – is an insidious little secret – one that has grown into a horrible, ugly beast. It is devouring you alive, and me, along with it. I’ve watched this monster grow. I pleaded with it. I’ve coddled it. I’ve even nurtured it. I’ve done everything I can think of to make this THING go away, but it’s relentless. And I am left to face the truth. You my precious child, are an addict. An addict! Oh my God! I can barely say it. I feel sick. I HATE that word. And yet, it’s true. Why does the truth have to be so hard? Even harder, is what I still have to do. All my life I have watched over you and now, I have to set you free. Not because I want to. Because I NEED to. It’s the only thing I can do, that MIGHT save your life. But the process may also end it. I’m told by recovering addicts and professionals, and other Mom’s who’ve gone before me, there is a far greater chance you will succeed and get clean, if I do this. Almost always, this works. Believe me, ALMOST, is nowhere near comforting enough. If I wasn’t sure, I was helping you to die, I would never choose this. But here I am, between a rock and hard place. With no good choices, only hard, and worse ones. Before I let you go, know this. I am here for you, ALWAYS. I am here for YOU. Not for your disease, but the you, I know hides deep down inside of the addict, somewhere. Whether you get clean by intervention, or growing weary of your consequences, now that you’ll be dealing with them, this insanity will stop. If you think quitting drugs is hard my dear, you should try walking away from your child! I know we’ve both grown sick with this monster. You’re not the only one who needs help. I do, too. I promise you I will do everything that is asked of me, even if I think I’m going to hate every minute of it. I’ll do it, because I know if I do, you might. I promise not to ask you to do anything, that I won’t. I would ask you to take care, but you will only smile and nod, and carry on as before. The words would only make me feel better. They’re of no use to you, at all. So instead, I shall give you to God. I’ve done all I can for you and I don’t know who else to trust. But before I do, I’ll wrap you in your favourite baby blanket. The one you dragged behind you until it was nothing but rags. I pray that we both have the strength to do the next right thing, even, when it feels so wrong. I love you my precious child. May we both find peace.

Love always, Mom.

Lorelie Rozzano
www.jaggedlittleedges.com