Siletz news /, November 01, 2001, Page 23, Image 23

PASSAGES
Matthew and Luke Garrett: Happy
1st Birthday on Nov. 10 to the funniest
two little boys we know.
Love you, Mom, Dad, and kids
Bianca Nicole Regalado: Happy 6th
Birthday on Nov. 7. Love you lots!
Grandma Kathy, Hap, and Sammy
Happy Birthday, Bianca.
Love, Angie and family
Happy 18"' Birthday to Timothy
Villegas.
Love, your older sister Martha
Nancy Villegas
Happy Birthday to my little Sissy
on Oct. 5. I love you.
Bubba (Hunter)
Sheila Jordan: Happy 30"’ Birthday
on 11-5-01.
Your barely older friend, Marci
Happy 2nd Birthday, Lanaya, on
Oct. 5. We love you.
Love, Mommy and Daddy
This is a short story of where I’ve
own person and no one will tell me what
been and where I’m going. This is not
to do.” The only place that got me was
to lash out on anyone; it’s just my life.
further into my addiction.
I was raised here in the Siletz area
This had gone on for quite a few
a majority of my life. Some good, some
years. I had turned my back on people
bad, some happy, some sad. I was raised
and tried to live my life the way I wanted
with family values - respect, speak
to. The result of that ended up in pain,
when spoken to, have manners, what’s
agony, suffering, guilt, confusion, grief,
wrong, and what’s right. When I became
and loss due to the fact that I have seven
a young adult, I saw more of life for children. I am 30 years old and none are
what it really was to me at the time. I
in my custody due to my addiction of
didn’t like it. I couldn’t understand it drugs and alcohol, and domestic violence.
and I chose not to understand it.
Today, I am five months clean and
I was continually dishonest with
sober. It’s called recovery. And recovery
myself as well as others. There was
to me means recovering from the way I
always something I really had to say
lived in the past and recovering from
but the words never came correct, so I
my own false values and beliefs. Today,
masked every emotion and every feeling
it’s spiritual. Today, I’m recovering
I felt I had. This is the way I knew how
spiritually, physically, mentally,
to survive and manage my inner self.
and emotionally.
Yes, all by lying.
The main thing in my program is
I chose drugs and alcohol to
honesty - “no lying,” today. On a daily
comfort my emotions and my confused
basis, I pray for honesty and daily I
state of mind, leading me deeper and
recover from dishonesty. (There are
deeper into dishonesty - with no
little rewards every moment of every
remorse. And my disease, growing up
day in recovery. I just have to have the
in this environment, I felt it was normal.
open-mindedness to recognize them.)
While in my addiction (with
I have a wonderful support group.
alcohol and drugs), I had no values. I
First of all, it’s my higher power. Next
never even considered values. My only
is my family, my friends in recovery,
value and belief I had was, “I am my
and different programs in the tribe. For
starters in that area is the women’s
Transitional Living Center.
This place to me also is a very big
support. I truly don’t know where I
would be today without this place to
call my home, for me to transition into
this new way of living life on its own
terms. If there are any women who are
willing to make a significant change
free from drugs, alcohol, low self-
esteem, codependency, domestic
violence, inadequacy, and fear, this
place is where it’s at. The support that
comes along with this place is all the
more better, like Joyce Retherford, Janet
Dair, and George Nagel. Each one helps
me in different areas of my internal self.
It’s all about trust to me.
My twins’ foster parents also are a
support to me. All the people who have
taken care of my children I have
great love for, regardless of any
false accusations.
In closing, I would like to say its
taken me many, many years to know
what love is and what honesty is. Today
I have both and with that, it allows me
to be honest and love everyone around
me as well as myself.
Sincerely,
Jenifer Knott
Keith and Ronnie Garrett:
Congratulations to you on your
marriage on Sept. 1. Also, Keith, Happy
21st Birthday on Nov. 18.
Love you, Dad, Marci, and kids
Chrystal D. Williams - Hope you
have a wonderful Halloween and
birthday. Can’t believe you're “18.”
We love you.
Mom, Dad, Matt, Shane,
and family
To my son, Donovan: From the time
you were bom, I just wanted to do right
by you, to be the father that you needed.
A father who would be there for you,
teach you right from wrong, show you
love, hold you when you feel bad, to let
you know there are no monsters in your
closet or under your bed.
I don’t know what you think of me,
but I just pray that you know that I love
you. All I can say is I’m sorry for not
being there for you and I hope that when
the time comes and I can be there, that
you’ll want me there.
Just know that I love you with all
that I am and nothing will ever change
that. I love you, Donovan.
Love always,
Arron Bennett
November 2001
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