It used to embarrass me if I had to admit to having spent time in a Florida drug treatment center. I was worried that people would immediately judge me for the problems of my past life, and not give me the opportunity to prove who I was in the here and now.

Given that I wound up as a high school teacher in the small town of Lake Placid, Florida, I’m always some what on guard about my past. I have disclosed those times to my bosses and supervisors. Definitely not doing anything wrong, mind you. It’s just if the topic enters conversation, you often times see that “look” in peoples eyes.

In the bigger picture, however, I am very glad that I was able to attend a Florida drug rehab facility, and have been 100% successful in not relapsing into the addicted user I was during my early 20’s.

Perhaps I need to start looking at all the success that has pervaded my life since those tough times, and stop worrying so much that someone might look at me disapprovingly. I know there are a lot of troubled students that pass through my classroom that I might be able to help in some way if I just expressed confidence and told my story with pride instead of concern.

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