Who will cry for the little boy?
Lost and all alone.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Abandoned without his own?

Who will cry for the little boy?
He cried himself to sleep.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He never had for keeps.

Who will cry for the little boy?
He walked the burning sand.
Who will cry for the little boy?
The boy inside the man.

Who will cry for the little boy?
Who knows well hurt and pain.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He died again and again.

Who will cry for the little boy?
A good boy he tried to be.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Who cries inside of me.

– Antwone Fisher

The spring time is full of transformations and we often think of spring time as nicer weather, prettier flowers and springing forward with time. During this time, how often do we forget about those that are suffering from dependency of psychoactive substances?

Most people see “addicts” as those who have just made a choice to use drugs. However, many addicts feel alone and are experiencing deeply entrenched unresolved pain, which leads to the perpetual cycle of continual drug use. Spring time effects the addict on a deeper level; being that internally their spirits are not in a state of beauty, freshness, vigor or development. Instead it’s in a state of brokenness, fear, confusion, shame and hurt.

Rather than asking ourselves, “why do they keep using drugs?” we should ask ourselves “what made them start using drugs?” When we ask ourselves this question, we may find that there is more to using drugs than just the use and we may experience a deeper level of empathy, compassion, concern and understanding towards the addict.

“You cannot change the fruit until you change the root!”

Reico Hopewell; Director of The Mend House Sober Transitional Living for Men