those around him. He realized that curing his addictions was only half the battle. The other half was realizing
that many of his relationships were toxic to his own sobriety.
By reading his journals, you'll see the hell, he personally created! A hell, which at times, he wasn't sure he wanted
to escape. Harm knew he couldn't go back, but he was scared to move forward. War Zone begins a lifelong journey
out of hell, as Harm finds the gifts and promises of sobriety.
With sobriety, Dave began a spiritual journey. An adventure, filled with enlightenment and an awareness that he
wasn't alone. He continues to seek serenity and peace, in all his surroundings.
Quote from War Zone..."It is so easy for human beings to get caught up with images and comparisons of others. Someone may have a better house or a fancier car, but is that what I'm striving for?"
Preview...
I started '96 in divorce court. Sometime around March, Janice moved across the state, to be closer to her family. All reminders of my life as a married man, were now gone. There was some depression, by the way the events unfolded. But, from everything I had experienced, I realized I just completed one hell of a journey. It was a journey out of hell! For well over a year, I was in the grieving process, burying "drunk Dave." A part of me which help me survive. I know it was an insane way to live, but "drunk Dave," led an exciting life. Maybe exciting isn't the best word to use, but it was a life many people don't get to experience. Homelessness, a couple of OD's, two failed marriages before I was 40 years old, and a very real spiritual awakening. For the first time, I was on my own, but I wasn't alone. No more courts or counselors. Nothing keeping me sober, except me and my Higher Power! By June of '96, I was ready to change my program of recovery, to a program of discovery. Don't get me wrong, AA saved my life. Now I wanted a little more. I didn't want to sit in meetings, talking about what I needed to do. It was time to start doing it! I don't go to AA much anymore, but I still try to live by the practices I learned there.
My program of discovery would be taking that last "leap of faith," and seeing what the world had to offer me. It was also that "leap of faith," which would show me, that I had something to offer the world. Within a month, I would resign from my job and move. I believed, that for me to grow, I needed to wipe the slate entirely clean. Anything that I had while I was drinking, I needed to bury with "drunk Dave." So with the clothes on my back, my old dog, and an old Dodge, we headed down the road. It wasn't as easy as I make it sound, but it needed to be done. I left Seward, knowing I didn't run. I stayed to the end! I also realized that I needed to remember the last two years living there because I would use it as my foundation to stay sober. If any thoughts of drinking would enter my mind, all I'd have to see, was an image of four scared children, whom I verbally and physically helped to destroy. AA says not to "dwell in the past." I don't dwell in it, but I also don't want to forget it.
From the publisher on their press release...
"We were already familiar with Mr. Harm's work from his first book, Damaged Merchandise, Poems and Stories of an Alcoholic Addict, said Miranda Prather, executive director. 'War Zone, Backing out of Hell is another well written and crafted contemporary work that fits our specialty like a glove."
"PublishAmerica primarily publishes works by, for or about people who face a challenge in life, and who overcome it by turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones. We believe that Mr. Harm is an accomplished talent in this field."
No comments:
Post a Comment