Growing up, my dad and I would spend our Sunday mornings making the 20 minute drive to Harrisburg, PA to run with a group of recovering addicts. We would run along the river for a few miles at an inclusive and conversational running pace. Most weekends would bring the same group of familiar faces, but some weekends we were able to see a larger group with new people.
The people in the running group were all in the Harrisburg drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, and Sunday morning running club was their chance to get out and socialize while also moving their body. These people always showed up for the same reason: to move their body and make connections with others. As two people who did not experience addiction, my dad and I were nervous to attend each weekend. Surrounding yourself with people who have gone through something as hard as an addiction makes them intimidating. Although ironic, I felt like the odd one out. All of these people were here for the same reason, and I could not understand it. I did understand the value of running, though, and that kept me returning each week.
As the months went on and the running continued with this same group of people, I began to realize that they were all so much more than their addiction. These people never really spoke about the time(s) in their lives where they went through the worst of their addiction. Instead, they were just grateful to be having real connections with people again.
These consistent weekends in Harrisburg with recovering heroin addicts taught me the simple lesson of not judging “a book by its cover”. It is easy to be afraid or worried of a group of individuals who have suffered as hard as the suffering involved with a hard-drug addiction. But these people are no different from you and me. They are just trying to make it in this world in the same way that we are, and this lead them to make the wrong decisions. I will forever be grateful for my experiences making connections with these people, and I hope that we can all learn how to treat these people with the same love and respect that you would any other person.
Thank you.
I think it is so interesting to hear all of your stories. I feel like you have done so many cool things! “Never judge a book by it’s cover” is such a simple lesson we are always taught when we are so young, but it’s very hard to remember and a lot of people forget it.
Whenever my mom went back to school to do her second degree, she had to do something similar to this. She is not an addict and would talk to me about how nerve-racking it was to show up to these events. After she told me about her experience, I have always wanted to go and experience one of these rehabilitation groups.
I actually really intersting to hear this story and it kind of highlights what you said how they aren’t different from everyone else and I agree 100% with that. It’s important to instead of judging people but create an impact and actually help people in need instead.