Recently, as I entered a drug treatment center to address the clients, I was welcomed by three young men. As we discussed their previous week, one of the men shared that his discharge date was the next week. He said that when he came to the treatment center, he was homeless, and when he gets out, he will be homeless unless he’s accepted at a halfway house.

“Do you have a family?” I asked. “Not really,” was his reply. I continued, “What do you mean by not really?” I asked. “I have a sister, but I haven’t talked to her in 30 years,” he answered. When I asked him where she lived, he said she was living only 80 miles from where he was. He shared that 30 years ago, they had a terrible disagreement. He was invited to her wedding, and she asked him not to come drunk. He got angry, didn’t attend the wedding and hasn’t spoken to her since.

He added he spent 22 of those 30 years in prison.

“Do you have any desire to make amends with her and heal that relationship?” I asked. “Maybe after I have a little sobriety under my belt I’ll make an attempt,” he replied. My response was that if he didn’t settle that petty disagreement, he may never enjoy any length of sobriety. I challenged him to make the contact with his sister and free himself from the bondage that he has inflicted upon himself.

He half-heartedly agreed, but his sincerity was questionable.

I remembered what the Bible says about being angry: “…Do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” (Ephesians 4:26) You should make things right with everyone and God before you go to sleep.

I have to admit that I’ve been guilty many times of going to bed with bitter feelings. It makes for a restless night. I can’t imagine 30 years (over 10,000 nights) carrying a grudge.

I pray the young man, who is now free from prison, will one day decide to free himself on the inside.

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.