Feel My Pain: As You Journey with Me on the Road to Recovery

By David A. Morton

This is a memoir about my life experiences, my addiction, and my recovery. This is not just a book of poems, but a book that explains the life experiences that inspired me to write the stories and poems. This book is about the pain and the path that my addiction has taken me along the way to my recovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469150734

David A. Morton

I grew up in a broken home because of alcohol. I ended up in a foster home for ten years. I studied at Liberty University under Dr. Falwell. After my first divorce, I turned to alcohol for comfort. At the age of thirty, I began to drink. I knew being a Native American that alcohol wasn’t a good thing for me. But I ended up being addicted, which led me to failed marriages and prison. Along the way, I had six beautiful children. I’ve been alcohol-free for ten years, and my life is back on the positive path. Through my pain, I’ve learned that I can help others. I know that the road to recovery hasn’t been easy. But I’m glad that I no longer need alcohol to cope with life. I am glad I can now embrace life with others. I hope that this book will inspire others to make a change for the better.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by David A. Morton.

Library of Congress Control Number:          2012900625

ISBN:                      Hardcover                      978-1-4691-5072-7

                                 Softcover                      978-1-4691-5071-0

                                 Ebook                            978-1-4691-5073-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book is a work of non-fiction. The events and situations are true.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

LIFE WITHOUT A DAD

Life Without A Dad

LISTEN TO THE CHILDREN

Listen To The Children

BROKENNESS

Brokenness

ALONG THE WAY

Along The Way

LISTEN

Listen

HELLO, DADDY

Hello, Daddy

LOVING MOTHER

Loving Mother

GROWING OLD

Growing Old

FEEL MY PAIN

Feel My Pain

LIFE’S LESSON

Life’s Lesson

FRIENDSHIP

Friendship

SINGLE PARENT

Single Parent

THE FORGOTTEN MAN

The Forgotten Man

WEEKENDS

Weekends

VISITING DAY

Visiting Day

FACE TO FACE

Face To Face

EVEN GOOD PEOPLE

Even Good People

TEARDROPS

Teardrops

THE ADDICT

The Addict

PLEASE FORGIVE ME

Please Forgive Me

I STAND

I Stand

BECOME A DREAMER AGAIN

Become A Dreamer Again

FREE AT LAST

Free At Last

CHANGES

Changes

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE

I Love You Because

DOING TIME WITH LOVE

Doing Time With Love

LOVE LIVES WITHIN

Love Lives Within

SOMETIMES

Sometimes

HIDING PLACES

Hiding Places

MY FELLOW AMERICANS

My Fellow Americans

DON’T

Don’t

MATTERS OF THE HEART

Matters Of The Heart

MY HEART ACHES

My Heart Aches

ARE YOU FOR REAL?

Are You For Real?

I’VE BEEN THERE

I’ve Been There

WAS IT WORTH IT?

Was It Worth It?

IT’S YOUR CHOICE

It’s Your Choice

THE FALLEN SOLDIER

The Fallen Soldier

MY CHILDREN

My Children

AM I WORTHY?

Am I Worthy?

Conclusion

I would like to dedicate this book to Irene because of her support. She has encouraged me to pursue my dream of being a published author. She believes that this book will help others in their own recovery. She has stood behind me when others have not.

So thank you, Irene, for your love and being here in my time of need.

Love,

David

Preface

This is a memoir about my life experiences, my addiction, and my recovery. This is not just a book of poems, but a book that explains the life experiences that inspired me to write the stories and poems. This book is about the pain and the path that my addiction has taken me along the way to my recovery.

Acknowledgments

To Sammie and Violet Kennedy, my foster parents, who encouraged me to live my dreams. They supported me through the years with their unconditional love and sacrificed their time for me. I will always be thankful for a couple who opened their hearts and home to me and gave me a place of refuge.

To my six children who are Colette, Joshua, Rebecca, Rachel, Jeremiah, and Hannah who have been my purpose for living. They have become my inspiration to travel down this road to recovery. May I become the dad to them that I never had. I love each and every one of them with all my heart and soul.

Introduction

LET’S BEGIN ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

For years I thought about writing a book but never took the time to pursue it. I have always been busy trying to get ahead and stay ahead. Now here I sit in prison, and I have all the time in the world to pursue my dream.

I am a poet, and I love to express my feelings through words. This book is not just about my poetry but about my life in general. For each one of my poems tells a story of who I am and how I felt at the time.

So, yes, I hope you, as the reader, will feel my pain; and I, in return, will try to feel yours. This road to recovery is not an easy one, but it is a necessary one in order for me to become a complete person. As you read each one of my poems, may you find hope and renewed strength. May you not feel alone or that no one feels your pain or heartache.

I am currently forty-six years old and have walked many pathways. I am a carpenter by trade and a poet by heart. My life experiences have taught me many valuable lessons. I hope I can share with you my personal experiences in order to uplift your spirits. For I have learned that life is not always fair and that we must all accept responsibility for our actions. That every day we all have choices and decisions to make, and we must suffer the consequences of them. As for me, I chose to drink alcohol in my thirties, and it landed me on the wrong pathway, which ultimately led me to prison. Yes, my life has not been a fairy tale, and I have hurt many people along the way. I now realize that there is help and hope for me to become a changed man and a better man. With time, the process of healing the wounds can be accomplished.

As you follow me down the road to recovery, may it also become yours. For it all begins with honesty with oneself and learning to love yourself first. Yes, you too can recover if you are willing to take a step of faith in the right direction. So let’s begin this journey together with an open mind.

LIFE WITHOUT A DAD

As a young boy growing up in the streets of Oakland, California, I was fatherless. My mom and dad divorced when I was only one year old. They both had a problem with alcohol, so I ended up in a broken home. With