THE WIZARD OF OZ, A REAL STORY OF ENCOURAGEMENT

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THE WIZARD OF OZ, A REAL STORY OF ENCOURAGEMENT 12/04/02

LAST SUNDAY NIGHT THIS MOVIE WAS ON AGAIN, AS I RUSHED
HOME TO MAKE THE 7 O'CLOCK TIME. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW AFTER 30 SOME ODD YEARS WHY I ADORE THIS MOVIE. IT
FINALLY DAWNED ON ME AFTER BEING IN RECOVERY FOR A FEW
YEARS NOW, THAT THIS FILM IS NOTHING BUT A FILM OF
ENCOURAGEMENT. WHEN DOROTHY RUNS INTO THE SCARECROW-TIN
MAN & LION AND INVITES THEM ON HER JOURNEY TO SEE THE
WIZARD IN THE LAND OF OZ HOPING THAT THEY WILL GET THERE
NEEDS MET AS WELL AS HERS. ON THERE JOURNEY DOWN THE
YELLOW BRICK RD THEY FINALLY REACH THE WIZARD IN OZ AND
THERE TOLD TO LEAVE AND COME BACK WHEN THEY HAVE THE
WITCHES BROOM, THEY GO THROUGH THERE TRIALS ATTEMPTING TO
GET THE BROOM, AND FINALLY GET IT. THEY RETURN TO THE LAND
OF OZ, ARE INVITED INTO THIS CASTLE AND ARE STANDING THERE IN
ANTICIPATION. WHEN TOTO BLOWS THE WIZARDS COVER REMEMBER THIS
SCENE ? PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN, HA HA
I LOVE THAT PART. COME TO FIND OUT ITS JUST A MAN PRETENDING TO
BE A WIZARD. AFTER DOROTHY GETS UPSET WITH HIM AND EXPLAINS
WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY GET WHAT THEY HAVE COME
FOR. HE VERY SIMPLY EXPLAINS, STARTING WITH THE SCARECROW HE
PULLS OUT A DIPLOMA FROM A VERY PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY AND
TELLS HIM HE IS SMART, THE TIN MAN GETS HIS RED HEART AND IS
TOLD ITS NOT BY HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU LOVE BUT BY THE AMOUNT
THAT LOVE YOU. FINALLY THE LION IS GIVEN A PLASTIC BADGE OF
COURAGE AND TOLD HE IS THE KING OF THE FOREST. THIS IS THE
SAME APPROACH WITH NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS THERE NO WIZARDS HERE
WE REALLY CANT STOP ANYONE FROM USING IF THEY TRULY WANT TO.
YOU CAN COME IN AND OUT WE DON'T ASK YOU TO LEAVE OR COME BACK
WITH A BROOM BUT WHEN YOU COME IN WITH WILLINGNESS AND
SURRENDER THAT'S THE BEST START. WE ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER
TO KEEP COMING BACK IT WORKS, TO TAKING ON COMMITMENTS WE
DIDN'T THINK WE COULD DO TO GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, GETTING
THAT JOB WE REALLY WANT ,TO EVEN GETTING MARRIED AND
MOST OF ALL WE REALLY JUST ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO STAY
CLEAN 1 DAY AT A TIME. FROM A GRATEFUL ADDICT WHO
CONTINUES TO BE ENCOURAGED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THANK YOU

DEE. T-L BAYONNE, NJ