Like other graduation ceremonies, the winter 2023 REAL LIFE graduation had a keynote speaker, certificates, and decorum. But a REAL LIFE graduation is much more than just a celebration of academic achievement. These 16 Lifers have disciplined themselves to beat the odds and maintain sobriety. For the past 6 months they have studied 237 pages of REAL LIFE curriculum, attended approximately 17 hours of instruction a week, went to recovery meetings on Mondays, went to house meetings on Tuesdays, executed household duties and chores and maintained full-time employment.
This is a rigorous program and success is hard to achieve on your own. Thankfully, these Lifers had a lot of support. St. James Episcopal Church, on the frigid evening of November 28, was packed with family, friends, and loved ones.
The keynote speaker, Chesterfield Sheriff Karl Leonard, commended the graduates for their commitment to their recovery and encouraged the loved ones of the graduates that “the person graduating from this program is a different person” than the one who entered the program. Sheriff Leonard is an industry leader in incorporating recovery programming into the Chesterfield County jail system.
The most impactful moment of the night was a moving speech from program graduate, Lydell. When he arrived in front of the podium, he could hardly speak through his emotion. “Seven months ago, I was unemployed. I was broke, I was hapless, I was homeless and I was helpless.” Lydell confessed to the packed room, “I wanted to go somewhere else because it was six weeks instead of six months. But really it was 6 weeks to getting back to getting high again.” His father researched the REAL LIFE program and convinced Lydell to choose this program instead. “I’ve been using for 31 years. I’ve been to 8 programs. And 8 is enough,” Lydell said. He thanked his supporters in the program, and most compellingly he said, “Sarah,” referring to Dr. Sarah Scarborough, program Director and creator, “you say we are in the business of saving lives, and you have saved mine. And I will be forever in your debt.”
Another REAL LIFE graduate, Elizabeth, spoke. Elizabeth graduated and moved out from her REAL LIFE House a month ago. “I thought REAL LIFE was hard,” she states. “But I didn’t realize the hard part just started.” She’s living on her own now and maintaining sobriety has been a daily struggle. All of the tools that she learned in the REAL LIFE program have supported her in her independence. “When you get out of REAL LIFE,” Elizabeth said to the graduates, “those tools that you learned are going to carry you through to do great things. Sobriety, hey, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Many REAL LIFE staffers spoke, encouraging their graduates. Commending them for their hard work and encouraging them to stay the course. REAL LIFE Senior Pathway Navigator Thomas Young summed up the tone of the evening by saying, “You can never let anyone decide what you can and cannot do. You have to believe in yourself.”
Carol and Dave Lenti attended with a group from their church, Spring Run Presbyterian. As a part of the spiritual component of the REAL LIFE program, Carol and a few friends run a weekly bible study at REAL LIFE House 1117. They began this study over a year ago and have seen a lot of women come and go through this program. They came to graduation to support their friend and graduate, Ashley. “We were just blown away,” Carol says of the REAL LIFE program. “The program has redeemed every part of their lives– the way they eat, the way they live, the way they worship. It’s so complete.” She was grateful to be able to attend and to support Ashley. “The ones who make it, they are all in. It is a complete change of the way they were living. They have the desire, the commitment to do it.”
REAL LIFE graduation is the end of the program, but the beginning of a new life. As Sheriff Leonard reminded the audience, the Christmas season is about believing. And this season he reminded the graduates, “we believe in recovery and we believe in you.”
