It calls you back

Revelations from Luis Rodriguez 

This week I had the privilege of hearing Luis Rodriguez speak. A journalist, author and poet Luis has also been a gang member, addict and violent man.

The title of the book describes his journey out of addiction and violence into writing. A happy ending? Sadly not. Luis describes how the madness of addiction and violence called him back to the detriment of his beloved son.

And I liked that title, ‘it calls you back’. Maybe not for all of us, addiction and violence, but the reminder that something in our madness will keep calling us back.

The madness called me back recently. Finding myself under pressure and overwhelmed, I noticed how the old reactions were calling to me to let go of what I know now and how I choose to be and to go back into the pit of darkness. I caught myself in time. Perhaps the wisdom of age.