In These Rooms today, I’m enjoying people telling stories about their journeys with addiction. I love listening to good stories, especially those about their triumphs. But sometimes I wanna say to people, “Tell your story and shut the fuck up.” Admittedly, I am not a people person. Though, I did have one of the people In These Rooms pay me a great compliment when I told her I was a COVID-19 survivor. She said “…Damn. How you get COVID? You don’t even like people…” Real Talk.
I find people telling their stories, and I hope their authentic lived truth, is one thing. In These Rooms, it’s called an individual’s experience, strength and hope. I’m good with that. We can all learn from the experiences of others and don’t always have to learn at the University of Hard Knocks. But, as for the people pontificating and lecturing others, give me a F-ing break. Ain’t nobody In These Rooms because their ass was on a damn Winning Streak. Real Talk.
“… I hear folks In These Rooms talking but their inner fucking addict is out in the parking lot telling a different story about their ass. Instead of sitting in here pontificating, take your ass outside and talk that shit to them. That’s the shit I’m interested in seeing and hearing. Real Talk…”
Fr. Esteban
“…I hear people In These Rooms talking but the hypocritical people in my life, like the degenerate priest who molested me, have shown me how cheap talk is. I heard a man say, “… the AA Big Book is a 5th Generation Tradition in my family; it’s passed from one generation to another…” And that’s a program that works? Yea right… and they say I’m a fucking comedian. Real Talk…”
Yalie
“…. I come to these rooms to hear something and learn something for my people. People In These Rooms have a lot of nice sounding words. But I’m listening for stories that lead to action that transforms people’s lives at the street-level. I know people, and have the scars to prove it, who‘ve talked a lot of shit to my face and then stabbed my ass in the damn back. These people talk about the man and the shit the white man is doing to us while they undermine our people and our community. We need to hear from more thought leaders and fewer race hustlers. I’m listening for them stories that end in empowerment and transformation not that communal and personal betrayal bullshit. Real Talk…”
X
I’m interested in stories that inspire people to create the world they want instead of stories that cut badasses out and draw others in as the heroes. Give me stories of people evolving in spite of their struggles.
“…Yea, tell your story. But I ain’t trying to hear that peanut gallery pontification shit. I don’t need to be lectured by circus and clown car folk who ain’t doing any fucking better than me. Real Talk…”
Hunter
Read more about Yalie, Fr. Esteban, X and Hunter and tell your story. Listen to Hunter’s Podcast. All on wreckedamerica.com. In Wrecked America, #RealTalkMatters
The Struggle Continues….
