I just finished a meeting with one of my probation clients who, through the consequences of his own choices, has been through a lifetime of obstacles in the last 15 months. But he’s still standing…and possibly on the verge of breakthrough. Sometimes we’re simply slow-learners who need to take the long road through hard lessons.
But first…let me describe some of the obstacles this guy has faced. It all began with drinking, then driving, being thrown from a car that flipped multiple times, a medically induced coma, TBI, homelessness, losing visitation with his young son, spotty jobs, a revocation of his probation, yada, yada, yada.
Today he came into my office excited about an opportunity he has. There’s a good company willing to hire him at $19/hr with benefits…but there’s one last step…the drug test.
From where I stand as his probation officer, it’s completely fine for him to be on medical marijuana…but not this company that’s about to hire him.
So six days ago, my client suddenly decided he didn’t need medical marijuana any longer and he quit. Today he walked into my office amped up about his new perspective.
He talked about how he is beginning to see medical marijuana as just another form of addiction. He’d convinced himself it was simply “my medication”. He went through all the mental calisthenics to justify over the years that this decision to use was justified. But today, with a clearer perspective, he’s referring to his medical marijuana use as “a leash” that’s prohibited him “from accomplishing my goals.”
It was refreshing to hear a person starting to “get it”. It encourages me in my own journey to evolve and overcome thinking errors I’ve placed between me and the opportunities out in front of me.
Decided I wanted to write about it real quick because it encouraged me. Love to see people getting it!
Back to work!