| Message | Many of my Beacon House brothers have taken classes with you,and have nothing but good things to say about you. I personally enjoy and gain great insights from your monthly column in Steps for Recovery. God has also blessed me with the most wonderful job for a person in recovery. I work with the Mental Health Association, as a Personal Service Coordinator at the Village in Long Beach. The members (Village term for clients, much more friendly and equal)I work with, individuals with mental illness and often other compeling issues like addictions, are a challenge and a joy. They are also often my greatest teachers. Thanks to the 12 Step Recovery process, and a strong relationship with the Lord,my Higher Power, today I am able to connect with people and think about what I bring to the relationship, and often impact peoples lives in a positive way, quite different from the way things used to be ("what it was like" -Praise God. Mary I do hope to one day meet with you, and would like to invite you to visit the Village sometime. I think that Village staff would greatly benefit from hearing you speak on any of a number of relevant topics. As a sold out 12 Stepper, I often struggle with the Village philosophy of Harm Reduction, although I have remained open minded enough to have come to recognize that AA is not the only path to recovery. Hope to meet you soon. Respectfully, Gary J. Barbagallo  |