 | Biography/Personal Statement
My name is Anthony I, I was born on February
10th 1960 in Phila, Pa. I came from a loving traditional Italian
American family. I was brought up as a Roman Catholic and am the
youngest of three children.
My upbringing was fairly typical of an Italian family from S Philly,
there was plenty of love and plenty of food, my mother was a a great cook
and it showed as my friends would always come over looking to raid the
refrigerator and sample the home cooking. The family was large and I
looked forward to the many different family gatherings. While my
father was equally loving, his desire to provide for us led to workaholism.
Everything he touched turned to gold, and the more success he had the
busier (and more distant) he became. The house was well disciplined
and I was fearful of stepping out of line at times, I think this may
have led to some of my insecurities.
Although there was always wine at the dinner
table, I did not get drunk until I was 13, I remember the feeling, it
took all of my insecurities away, it made me feel ok with me.
I was a bright student and had done well in High School but as the
70's roared on I began to change friends and to seek out those
who were more interested in getting high than those interested in
getting higher grades.. By senior year I was drinking often and
experimenting with all kinds of drugs, by 18 years old, I was chasing
alcohol and drugs on a daily basis. By 20 yrs old, I had two DUI's.
During my 20's I had a relationship with a woman who enjoyed the kind
of lifestyle I was living and we had a beautiful daughter together,
Danielle. By the time Dan was 6 months old we were no longer together
and I tried to get my life together, taking a job at a school and
taking care of my daughter for much of her early childhood. After
being prescribed percocet for a back injury I soon found myself
addicted to opiates, I lost my job, I lost my daughter , I lost myself
in addiction and my life really began to unravel. I became homeless,
imprisoned, in and out of detox and rehab facilities. My life was a
mess. My daughter told me how sad my behavior made her feel and it
began a change in me, I wanted to try again. Calling many places I
finally got into Maryville and later transferred to LCR (recovery
housing in Trenton) I began to go to meetings on a daily basis, I have
been able to work fairly regularly, I have gone back to mass, I work
the steps, pray, have a sponsor, this way of living has become my
world and a change for the better is slowly taking place.
I met Gez at a meeting and was intrigued by his spirituality as a
result of that meeting I was accepted into this house, I believe that
Gods hand is in it and that I have been offered a place here as an
opportunity to grow in His Spirit- to awaken my soul and become a true
man again in my eyes, in my family's eyes and in Gods eyes. Through
prayer and perseverance in the program of AA I hope to become the best
I can be, a whole person, a man of dignity and of respect, I hope to
be able to give back to my family and to the world instead of taking,
I simply hope to be the best I can be.
|
|
