Keith Howard | Manchester Ink Link

Hell may be hot, but cold is Hell: ‘Hope for the Winter at the Twelve’ warming station opens Dec. 1

Friday, November 19, 2021Keith Howard1

Who will step up to run a warming station, open from December 1 until March 31 from 11 p.m. to 7 p.m.? FIT has its hands full with its shelter and, much as they might like to, they can’t do more. Hope for New Hampshire Recovery and the 1269 Café (aka The Twelve) are two small nonprofits, one serving people struggling to recover from addictions and the other a Christian organization helping people who are homeless. Still, both places value dignity, oppose suffering and want to prevent needless death. neither of these small organizations have the budget to operate a warming station this winter, but it is obvious that Manchester needs a warming station staffed by human beings demonstrating love and respect. READ MORE

An unorthodox man’s unorthodox search for a dog

Monday, October 18, 2021Keith Howard0

As you know, my previous life companion, Lucy, died a little over a year ago and is buried in the cabin’s backyard. Lucy, who happened to have manifested in dog form, was also smarter, more insightful and attractive than I. She was funnier, too. You brought her into my life for eight-and-a-half wonderful years, and I bear you no ill will for taking her away. Still . . . I miss her intensely and painfully every day. Which leads to this third letter in three years. READ MORE

Dear Hope Nation: Join us April 13 for the return to living in community, sharing love and laughs and tears (and cookies) as we support each other in recovery

Sunday, April 11, 2021Keith Howard0

Tuesday evening is a big deal for Hope, for you, for the Hope staff and for recovery in general. Not being a huge megacorporation, we won’t have a prime rib dinner or goodie bags with iPads. We will offer: Cookies, Coffee and Milk to the first 3,000 people who show up. READ MORE

Windows of Hope Fundraiser: It sounds like a metaphor but this fundraiser is for actual windows in need of fixing

Monday, November 30, 2020Keith Howard0

If you’ve been by Hope lately (or even semi-lately—within the past six months), you’ve seen the plywood covering the broken windows. Even with the upbeat and positive graffiti over the boards, the front of the building looks pretty horrible. You may have read here or here about how the windows were broken. I’ll give a short answer: READ MORE

Pulling the plug on Thanksgiving to avoid pulling the plug in the ICU

Thursday, November 19, 2020Keith Howard0

With all of New Hampshire a COVID-19 hotspot, and with the seven-day totals of confirmed cases continuing to rise at a crazy pace, I’ve made the personally devastating decision to celebrate Thanksgiving at home, with no guests. READ MORE

Larissa’s story, Part II: No more crises because that’s all life is

Wednesday, September 30, 2020Keith Howard0

In a perfect world, I could have driven the four hours to see her, whispered magic words into an amulet, placed it around her neck, and she’d never drink again. In a perfect world, Larissa could have met me at her door, asking to go to an AA meeting, where she’d meet a woman who’d offer to walk her through the 12 steps of that organization as Larissa got used to living without booze. In a perfect world, Larissa could look at the mess she and her drinking had made of her life, put the plug in the jug and move on to a life without alcohol. READ MORE

Larissa, a Fairy Tale of Sorts – Part 1: Too smart and charming for our own good

Monday, September 28, 2020Keith Howard0

Larissa will find another job. She’s insightful and gifted and attractive, and that’s what her references will say. They won’t say she’s a drunk. They won’t want to damage her opportunities because “She’s so great when she’s not drinking. If it weren’t for that . . .” Unfortunately, those ellipses never end without change, and that change doesn’t seem to come without work on our part. READ MORE

Larissa: An introduction to a fairy tale of sorts

Thursday, September 24, 2020Keith Howard0

No matter what kind of recovery meeting you go to, the narratives are likely to follow a predictable path. It’s not a bad path—in fact, it’s really good—but it is well worn by every other recovery story you’ve heard before. READ MORE

Shampoo, booze, and reciprocating saws

Sunday, September 20, 2020Keith Howard0

Alcohol and drugs may at some point have been razors for me, although I couldn’t remember that time. I’d misused and abused powders and liquids and pills and herbal supplements long enough that I had transformed them into a Sawzall, a reciprocating saw. For those not familiar with reciprocating saws, here’s an apt description from handyman.com. READ MORE

I don’t know horses, but I know people in recovery

Thursday, September 17, 2020Keith Howard0

If I had to place money on either a horse race or on picking winners from early recovery, I’d be a better bettor at Pimlico or Churchill Downs than at a church basement or outdoor All-Recovery meeting. At the track, at least I’d have luck on my side—along with a little bit of information about the horses’ previous record. In early recovery, where most folks look like they’re way below down on their luck, appearances can be are deceiving. READ MORE