He forewarned me about the soggy weather that was making its way to Calgary. I woke up to greyer skies than the ‘wet’ coast. It was actually the perfect day to get some extra work done. The phone was particularly busy that day as well – so there were no breaks to be had.
As I was getting ready for dinner there was that sudden loud alarm that went off in my hotel. That there was an emergency and to listen to the following instructions. I had about 10 minutes worth of being ready for the dinner so I sped up in case I had to bust a move outta there. No such thing ended up happening, but it was scary for a few minutes.
I like to walk when I am in the cities and one of our guys was just down the way from me so I picked him up. We had a great chat on our way to the dinner. The weather was extremely soppy, but we got in a good conversation protected by the large umbrella I was sporting.
Dinner was great as usual. We had a great turnout and it is always a really special time for me. To see guys in different stages of recovery and different stages of their lives, and to be there for them. I had been chatting with one of our guys that day and he was not in a great spot – he came out and was honest and vulnerable to the rest of his peers. He was supported and cared for.
I stayed with him afterward and we walked. We walked and we talked. He had so much insight into what he needed to do, but just pushing to that next step was where he was having trouble. We talked for hours about ways to start moving forward with his recovery and his life. It’s in these moments that I remember where I was once upon a time… what a different life it has become. I hope for him only the best and through hard work and perseverance, it can be done. He will be staying in close contact with me as he makes his plans to work on his recovery.
When I am in the cities for these events it is so important to me to be that beacon of hope, that one-on-one support for our men, and that person they can lean on and talk to. Post-treatment care is vital and as the years go by, and as my boots hit the ground, I see it. That is why we are constantly looking at ways to best support our men and this community. We want world-class treatment for these men and their families. We are constantly evolving with the needs of our clients and we will continue to pursue evidence-based care for them.
