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(4)

Four years clean.
For my Max.

Cake meetings? Are the best. Hands down they are, without a doubt, my favorite annual event.

Max has good friends.
Max is a good friend.

Tonight I listened to his friends say,

"This is going to sound all sucky and shit, but hell. You're my best friend. I love you, man. I am glad you're in my life. I wouldn't be clean without you."

"I saw the way Max cared for C when he was dope sick, and I said to myself, that's who I want for a friend."

"When Max makes an observation about my character, it's like Jesus is talking. Irritates the heck out of me, but he's usually dead on."

"He's judgemental but full of wisdom and calls you out on your shit because he cares."

"Max's topics tonight; service and family? Are the two things he lives out daily. His commitment to serving others is unbelievable. No one does service like he does. And his family? Well, look. They're here tonight..."

"I was thinking of what I could say, the funny stories, the stupid stuff, the whatever, but man. I just can't. He's one of my best friends and the reason I am still clean. I was blessed when we became friends."

"I couldn't believe that a guy like Max would choose to be a friend to me..."

"I don't make friends easily, but when Max came to The Door, I looked him over and thought, "yeah, I think I'd like to be friends with him. But it's hard, right? It's out of my comfort zone. But I needed friends. So, I like, asked him if he wanted to go for a walk. Haha. LIKE A DATE or something. But that's how you make friends. We went for a walk and now he's one of my best friends."

"Max is there. Good times and bad. He's just there."

"It was one of my first days at The Door, and I was sick. Dope sick. And sick of myself. And his kid (Max) just comes and sits down beside me. Says, "hey" but I am too filled with self-hatred to respond. What did he want? I couldn't complete a thought. I was 36 and living in a dumpster. And this kid just sits beside me, accepting me. Never experienced that before. I knew I needed someone like this in my life."

"I messed up recently. Relapsed. But I'm on my way back. And Max? Is right at my side."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The other night we were looking at video footage of my dad greeting his friends at his surprise 65th birthday party. He gave out hugs and handshakes and was excited to see each person there.

Even though Max looks like a O, he has the same heart as my dad when it comes to people. Two years ago, I snuck into a cake meeting and sat in the back unnoticed. I watched my boy greet just about everyone that entered the hall with a smile or a hug and by saying their name. He was genuinely happy to see them there.

~~~~~~~~~~

Know what I love about NA's Cake Nights?

Every year, your friends affirm your gifts. They let you know what your friendship means to them. Every year, you get feedback on how your life has impacted others.

That's pretty amazing.
And fills up your tank so you can carry on for another year.

You feel appreciated and valued and loved.

And the rest of us could learn from that. Maybe we should make birthday's more like that?  Be intentional on someone's birthday to let them know what you appreciate about them and how their life has impacted yours.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Man.
I'm tired.


Was up at 7:30 this morning, driving Clint to the skytrain station. (Yes, he's ordered a vehicle. Another few weeks to go...)
Then drove down to the States for Sophie's wedding. (Pics will be posted here. Eventually.)

Then back for dinner with my boys, and then the meeting.

Afterwards, drove Clint back into Vancouver to pick up his things, then home to Surrey.

Tomorrow is my dad's service.

I have written my thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. NA
2. Weddings and happy brides
3. All the friends who've been praying for me these past three weeks. ThankyouThankyouThankyou.