Gratitude in the face of homelessness is a bit tough to understand, yet Alec will tell you he’s grateful for the chance that homelessness has given him to turn his life around. Alec’s troubled upbringing kept him on edge, leading him to develop severe mental health struggles. As he grew older, Alec found himself constantly searching for an escape and that meant turning to substance use to numb the pain of the struggles he faced. As his substance use issues grew, Alec found himself in and out of facilities and further straining his relationships with his loved ones. His family chose not to support him as he dove deeper into addiction, leaving Alec to manage his well-being and mental health alone.
Untethered from his home life, Alec found himself dependent on friends and his significant other at the time for a place to stay. The unstable nature of his living situation left Alec dreaming of a time when he would finally have a place to call his own and a car that he didn’t have to borrow. “I was floating around just staying on people’s couches,” Alec said. “I’d stay in motels with my ex sometimes, but we couldn’t afford that for too long.” He noted that more than once, he ended up on the streets when no one could have him at their place, and he considers those nights the hardest of his life.
Following an encounter with the law, Alec found his way to Covenant House Texas from a recommendation by his social worker. Since his arrival on campus, he’s been able to pursue his welding certificate and join the Covenant House staff as a receptionist. Alec’s ongoing journey with sobriety has grown stronger since his arrival as he’s able to more regularly attend meetings. He now fills his days with work, school and meetings, leaving little time for anything else during the week. “When I get back to Covenant House, all I want is sleep,” he said with a smile. Alec isn’t complaining though and said that the schedule helps him keep his mind off his past and focused on his future.
As Alec works towards his welding certificate and finding balance in this new chapter of his life, he shares how grateful he is for the general positivity of the staff, as those little boosts help get him through the day. “They’re pretty motivational, even the security guard is hyping me up, telling me ‘You got this!’ whenever he sees me leave for work,” Alec said. “They make me feel like I’m doing the right thing and that I’m in the right place.” During his time at Covenant House Texas, Alec has finally been able to reconnect with his family and begin the work of healing relationships with his loved ones.
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