Experience, Strength, and Hope: A Love Story,Used

Review "This book is an excellent addition to the literature available on recovery from addiction and should be read by anyone who needs encouragement and hope in their recovery." Terence T. Gorski, author of Staying Sober: A Guide for Relapse Prevention, and Passages Through Recovery: An Action Plan for Preventing Relapse. Product Description "A very thoughtprovoking work, with great honesty and love. I was sent the book before publication, and was instantly transported into Glen's world, inspiring words, and devotion to the ones he loves. This book is really about all of our lives, and all of our fears, and most important, all of our dreams. Thank you Glen......cheers." Jon Anderson lead singer, YES From the Back Cover "A very thoughtprovoking work, with great honesty and love. I was sent the book before publication, and was instantly transported into Glen's world, inspiring words, and devotion to the ones he love. This book is really about all of our lives, and all of our fears, and most important, all of our dreams. Thank you Glen...cheers."Jon Andersonlead singer, YES. Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. I was in high school when I first heard about the concept of the "square yard of space." I don't remember which Dostoyevsky writing I'd been assigned to read, and I'm certain the book was way beyond my understanding. I've got no recollection of plot, characters or the heavy ideology and philosophy I was supposed to gleam from my study of the work. I have no doubt I never read the complete book, doing so would have been dramatically against my nature. But I do recall the "square yard of space." I understood that it referred to the space I take up on Earth. One square yard. Without a doubt that's not the intended meaning of the phrase, but nonetheless that's the sum total of my life's study of existential philosophy.A couple of years ago I shared with a friend my fear of hurting her, and she offered the opinion that "when two people love each other, they are bound to hurt each other simply by occupying space." It is inevitable, she believed, that people who are close will always cause pain to one another. That reminds me of the square yard of space I occupy.From time to time it tramples all over the space occupied by people I care for.The words that leave my mouth stretch my square yard to as far as the sound waves are audible. My written word expands my square yard to all who would pick up and read the printed thoughts, a distance of perhaps thousands of miles. Because of this there is not only the real possibility, but more likely a guaranteed certainty that I will offend those I care about. As my interpretation of my less than perfect memory reveals itself in writing, I am bound to trample with lead and muddied feet into the space occupied by the very people who are my loving inspiration.For this inevitability I must apologize. I know I've gotten certain important details in this book wrong to the degree that the finished work will cause pain to those I love. If any of my thoughts, deeds or actions have caused anyone pain, I am deeply remorseful.My guess is that in the end, the square yard of space is an illusion. Prayer expands my existence into the infinite, both in space and in time. Praising God is my life's mission, and the motivation for the words written here. I hope that in some small way I've been able to accomplish that.