Stories to Live By (Tales of Wisdom for Recovering People)

This is a book of stories. But, it is not a traditional recovery story book. The ancient rabbis used a method of teaching they called “stringing pearls”. This involved telling a series of seemingly unrelated stories which all explained a different aspect of the same topic. Like holding a diamond up to the light, the stories reflect in the facets of the thing being taught; imparting hidden wisdom. This book is my string of pearls.

I love hearing and telling stories; I have since my youth. The idea for this book came from the stories I tell in groups I do at the rehab center where I work. Specifically this work is born out of a group that I do which is nothing but stories and what they teach us about recovery. None of these stories are original with me. I have collected them over the years. For some I know the origin, the genesis of others are lost to me. The chapters of this little book present ten different stories which can teach us something about addiction and recovery if we will only let them.