Patience Ruffin
What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived.
It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will
determine the significance of the life we lead.
— Nelson Mandela
“There is an island of opportunity in the middle of every difficulty.”
― Alcoholics Anonymous
Daily the staff at TND walk through the door with one goal in mind, and that is to fight the disease of addiction. We come into the building with the agenda to help a woman not be defined by her past and to develop hope for her future.
By no means is this an easy task, but we have taken on the assignment to combat addiction and help reunite families. In the midst of that, sometimes the disease is too strong and women lose their fight. This was the case for the agency this month. We lost someone very close to us to the disease of addiction. Her untimely death became a time of sadness, reflection, and celebration for the employees at TND.
While we were hurt by the loss of her, we celebrated the beautiful life she lived. We also used this as a time to reflect on the work we do and how important it is to treat every moment with the clients as if it is the last. What I recall the most about this difficult time was how we as an agency embraced, supported, and encouraged one another. In the midst of our own mourning, each of us found a way to comfort one another.
Her beautiful life helped us lean on the strength of those we stand alongside of to fight the disease. I learned that though the disease of addiction is horrible and in some instances fatal, The Next Door is a place of love, hope, support, and life for those who are impacted daily.
Patience Ruffin serves as The Next Door’s Director of Treatment Services