From his early teens until he died, my son Bruce desperately struggled to overcome his addiction disease. For 10 years following his discharge from the US Air Force, his addiction habits controlled his life. Even after he married and had a son his addiction habits didn’t change. While under the influence of alcohol, he was arrested for assault and battery against his wife and two-year-old son. (There was no bodily injury.) He returned to their empty apartment, started to play with his son’s toys, broke down and cried, and left the apartment.
This was about the same time that an AA sponsor gave Bruce a Bible. The Bible became the foundation of his survival. He read the Bible daily and thoughtfully marked it with comments. Painstakingly he printed on the inside over of the Bible: The Repentance Prayer, The Serenity Prayer, and The Lord’s Prayer for easy reference. He also wrote: “I Must Remember God Loves Me!” This must have been one of the lowest points in Bruce’s life and Bruce felt that only God loved him.
Over the years, Bruce was arrested several times for charges resulting from alcohol abuse. For the last four years of his life, Bruce was severely punished by an erroneous felony charge that cost Bruce his life. Unknown to me at the time, Bruce’s last words to me were: “I’m tired. I love you Dad. How’s Mom doing?” Yes, Bruce, you were tired and God loves you and so do your family and friends.
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