Breaking Free

This work is dedicated to all suffering addicts and alcoholics:

THIS ADDICTION
has power over me no more.

It has power only over those
who believe in the lie.

This addiction has lied to me,
my family, and my friends,
right from the very beginning.

It has nearly destroyed me.

It has harmed those
whom I hold dear to my heart
who hold me dear to theirs.

Therefore, I no longer believe in the lie.
I can neither trust nor tolerate it:

I cast it away from myself!

The first choice is the wrong choice.

All the choices after that
is the choice of the addiction.

Therefore ---

The next choice I must make
is the one choice I must take
toward the road to freedom.

All the choices after this
are steps that take me there,
far away from here,
far away from the addiction,
far away from the lie
that sought to extinguish
my promise and my life.

The road exists even should I fall
because the road exists for me.

The road exists so long as I believe
that time will take me there
and truth will set me free.

So help me God,
So help me God.
---<--@

So, my friends, let us together say:

"V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B" meaning "Vade retro Satana! Nunquam suade mihi vana! Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas!"

Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!

- from the Saint Benedict Medal