Jimbo

I stayed up late one night this last week and was watching a TV show called 'Intervention'.  The show is about addicts that are confronted by their families to stop their addictions and get the help they need.  The addict is usually unaware that an intervention is about to happen.  The family tells the addict the truth about how their addiction is hurting more people than just the addict and is often very emotional.  It is used to shock the addict into getting the help that they need.

One of the stories was about a young man named Jimbo.  He was addicted to prescription drugs.  He would take several more pills than were prescribed and mix them.  He said it was the only thing that made him feel good.  My thoughts while I was watching this were "Why?".  As the show progressed it took a look back into Jimbo's childhood.  Jimbo had an awesome mom, she was very involved in her children's lives and Jimbo loved her dearly.  Then one day his mom got caught having an affair with Jimbo's Dad's best friend.  When the dust had settled his mom moved out to live with the best friend and Dad was devastated.  Jimbo spent most of his time comforting and taking care of his Dad.

Less than a year after Jimbo's mom left she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  She died within months.  Jimbo's comment when talking about his mom was he was better off having her dead.  After she died Jimbo went on with his life and got married, bought a house had a good job.  He ended up getting an injury playing basketball and was on prescription pain killers and that was the start of his addiction.  His sister said he told her that when he took the prescription drugs it was the first time he felt good.

Jimbo ended up losing his job, house and wife.  He lives with his Dad and step mom.  He even got hit by a train and lost a leg, and he still wants his prescription drugs. 

I did not watch the end of the program, my heart was broken.  I wonder if his mom would have known what her actions did to her son, if she would have done it to begin with.  I am not just blaming the mom, Jimbo chose to not forgive her, and I am sure his Dad fed into his unforgiveness.  All the same her simple little selfish choices set in motion devastated lives.  Makes one think doesn't it??

Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.