Second Chance Prayer

A smokey hot burn and sting followed the stench of burned heroin when she and the needle hit the floor. Her tolerance was low or it was too much, it didn’t really matter because this time Death was upon her, she was unconscious, dying.

Major, hadn’t been doing this bad this morning. She had thirty days clean. Stepping out onto the front porch step she saw trouble across the street, Jax! She pretended not to notice him dealing. Major worked on the car keys, which had a picture of her 3-year-old daughter on the ring. She picked up the pace, clutching the photo ring she thought, “Be strong for her!” She prayed, “Please grant me a second chance” … Her thoughts trailed off onto, “I failed my own daughter…”

Guilt and shame washed over Major as she sank down into the driver’s seat. It was too much to bear, the tears came pouring down. A RAP-RAP-RAP on the window and surrounded by Jax and company! “Major, Major, Major, I have missed you.” Opening the car door, he poured on false empathy. “Why are you crying, honey?” He touched her hand. He was good at his job and she was new in recovery. With so much pain, Jax’s words started to bring her comfort and she followed him into the house across the street to take away the pain.

Dying now, a warm peace flushed over her like walking through the door into the warm summer sun. Embracing arms wrapped around her. Her head rolled back onto streaming white faces broken like streams of smoke and hair. Trying to speak, she fell quiet and sensed a voice saying, “We have you surrounded.”

When she opened her eyes, she was alone. She was alive! She had one more chance on life.