Day 65, Sept 2, near Charleston, SC.
As Dorothy said, “we’re not in Kansas anymore”. Another beautiful riding day, this time some of it on backroads with infrequent cars so Terry and I could ride side by side and talk. At least until the last half hour of riding on Hwy 78 into Summerville where we found road construction, heavy and fast traffic including lots of trucks. I was focused on moving down the road as quickly as possible when Terry spoke reasonably that we had to get off. He might have saved us.
Since addiction is a brain disease that disables decision making, listening to others in recovery is important to get a perspective that you cannot see while enslaved. You may be saved by them.
Holding unexamined views of others, e.g. that substance use disorder sufferers have a moral or character flaw or choice, is the same. Opening ourselves to the perspectives of science and compassion, we may be saved from our own judgmental prison. The reduction in stigmatization of those with SUD and their families changes the cultural narrative and saves others. Addiction and its stigma are both treatable diseases.
I listened to Terry, we shuttled out of the danger, and tomorrow we can ride the west Ashley bike trail into historic Charleston and onto Sullivan Island. Then, on Saturday, Beth and I, accompanied by some of our family, will take the walk to the ocean to complete the coast to coast journey portion of InJoelSteps.
Addiction is a treatable brain disease that disables decision making, and its stigma disables healing.
In JoelSteps.com
