His wife *Emily* noticed his silence and could sense *Jed's* mind replaying those dark moments yet again. She squeezed his hand and said, 'Maybe this is a sign, honey. That black color represents how far you've fallen...but that white and blue reminds me of how things used to be. Before...you know.' She trailed off, not wanting to spark another fight by referencing *Jed's* escalating drinking problem directly.

*Jed* nodded slowly. 'You're right, Em. I can't keep living like this anymore - I need to get back to the man you married. Let's...let's do that online course you've mentioned before.' His voice cracked with emotion as he made the promise to himself as much as to *Emily*.

The couple spent the next few weeks diligently following the materials in the 'Stepping Into Action' program on Hofman Hollis. 'I'm staying off that 'rock' for good now,' *Jed* proclaimed after one particularly insightful lesson. 'The name gives me all the motivation I need.'

'I'm proud of you for taking this leap,' *Emily* said, squeezing his hand again. 'Besides, think of all the money we'll save by you being sober - we can actually go see that new team play sometime!'

Some addiction experts warned that *Jed* was making a simple coincidence into an oversized symbolic meaning, setting himself up for disappointment. However, others celebrated any small nudge that could finally break through a person's denial about substance abuse issues. After all, recovering addicts have often said that they first got sober 'for the strangest reasons.'

Regardless of the conflicting expert views, *Jed* felt a wave of peaceful certainty wash over him. It had been difficult to find a local support program that quite fit his needs, so being able to get therapy online was ideal. While he knew the road ahead would be enormously challenging, *Jed* was simply grateful to have finally found the motivation buried within - maybe under that harsh 'rock black' color - to get the help he and *Emily* both desperately needed.

Nearby: Lemmon South Dakota, White Butte South Dakota, Shadehill South Dakota, Summerville South Dakota

* Names and situations are fictional and not intended to resemble anyone in particular. They are illustrative of how the services can apply to the lives of every day people living ordinary lives.