“After being kicked out, I was homeless – no money, no place to sleep, and I even had to ask others to help me get food. You can’t imagine how lousy and down I felt. Soon after, I went back to drugs and got arrested for my most recent case.
I came to Highpoint again after my release and was encouraged to receive so much help right from the moment I stepped in. Although these were seemingly small things that were “expected”, I still appreciated the fact that someone was willing to do something for me. Moments like these helped me to respect and appreciate others, instead of taking things for granted.
I recall attending my first event at Highpoint. I could sense the unity and comfort among the residents and staff as we enjoyed the celebration and joked around with each other. Even though there were a lot of residents with many different characters, it felt just like a family. These personal encounters really meant a lot to me. Even during support group sessions, I got to listen to other people’s experiences and share my own – in the process, I learned how to apply the good things and learn from the bad.
My biggest regret would be getting into a life of drugs. If not for drugs, I probably would have lived a very happy life. So my advice to anyone walking down the same path as me is to think twice and consider properly whether thing things you do are worth the price you have to pay.
For now, I hope to stay away from drugs and work hard to make a living. What I want the most now is to move on and change my lifestyle and way of thinking, so that I don’t ever return to my old life again.”
Testimony by Mike, Alumni of HCSA Highpoint Halfway House