What are the odds? A million to one? Two million to one? Run the numbers on it? Punching up the math and science behind matters of the spiritual leaves me perpetually frustrated. Yet, most often my mind makes the vain attempt to apply synthetic knowledge to situations beyond my finite understanding and ability. Yesterday, May 16th 2024 was just one of those situations.
Discovery Place, this little spiritual retreat in the fields of Burns, TN became the locale for a very special meeting of people sharing love, understanding and compassion for one another. There was no plan, nor press. Just people listening to each other share their experience with recovery in a calm and peaceful environment. Those people happened to include current Presidential Candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. and celebrity actor, comedian and known proponent of meditation, Russell Brand.
It’s good to know someone with that kind of money and stature can stay sober…it’s inspiring.
The fact they came to see us to simply share their stories, and listen to ours, was encouraging . Addiction and recovery are both great equalizers, they put us all, no matter where we came from or what we’ve done, on the same plane.
Through a chance meeting with one of our staff, these men became aware of what we do out here. They followed through on that awareness by visiting. Simple. What it meant to our guests was beyond quantifiable. Over 30 men in recovery, both staff and guests, had the opportunity to share and convene with truly inspiring individuals whose one goal and motive was to share as well. To give back and be a part of. Our Executive Director Thomas McCollum said, “Without recovery, most likely our paths would never cross. What a life! ”
He is correct. Recovery and the Discovery Place approach provided an opportunity for the odds to shift; for the math to make sense; for the highly improbable to become possible. Yesterday was a fantastic example of beautiful coincidence. I struggle to not put coincidence in quotation marks because something so obviously right for a recovering life does not seem coincidental. Even our beloved recovery dogs Choco and Milo know better than that. No, it makes too much sense for chance. This is in God’s realm.
We are extremely grateful to Russell and Robert for taking the time out of their busy day to visit with us, and we are better for their grace and time.
