When I arrived at Rhonda’s House, I was filled with grief, shame and guilt over the loss of my wife and son. They died in a car wreck in front of me. I have been haunted by the memory of it. I would be sort of okay for awhile and then would collapse. I would stop working and start drinking and crawl into a dark place where I would isolate and push everyone away. Then only by the grace of God would I crawl of of it and start over. It had gotten to the point where my physical, mental and emotional state had hit bottom. My second day here I met Rhonda who called me out on my thought process. She asked me about my spiritual beliefs which also made me think about my Scottish heritage and my family. We watched some spiritual programs and finally something deep inside my soul finally gave way. I went to bed that night after praying and slept sound for the first time in years. I woke the next morning with a smile on my face and a heart that finally didn’t hurt, I was ready to face the day. I went down stairs and spent the next day with Mariah laughing and finally starting to heal. Everyday since I have spoken to all the staff here about what was really going on with me. I am no longer afraid to talk openly and honestly about how I feel. God choose to put my wife of 37 years in my life. I now have friends that I can call either to laugh or cry. I am leaving this place with a lightness ibn my heart and my head held high. This place, staff and clients here did what life long friends and hospitals couldn’t do. “They gave ME back”. If you come here broken like I did please lay whatever has you down on the table with the staff here and I promise they will not only listen to you but they will guide you with love and kindness. If I can do it, you can too. Just give yourself a chance. What do you have to lose? I choose lightness and love again.
–Robert