Humans of GLISS Blog

Today we bring you the story of Taylor.

Taylor is no stranger to life struggles. A few years ago, he was battling a tough addiction. Using is a slippery slope - before you know it you lose everything. Taylor learned this the hard way.

His life started looking a lot less like a steady routine and a lot more like a jail cell – that was until it ended up becoming an actual jail cell.  Taylor found himself in and out of the system for some time which led to him losing the house, kids, and job. Right before his eyes, Taylor’s life became shattered by the grips of drugs. 

By this time, getting high was the only way he knew how to function, but he also knew that wasn’t going to provide him a long and prosperous life. Struggling to pull himself out of his addiction, homelessness, and solitude, he held on. One day he looked at himself and found a spark inside that he had been missing. Asking for help can feel shameful when you’re struggling, but that’s when you need a helping hand the most. 

Afraid of leaving the life he has come to know, while knowing that staying the same could have life altering consequences, he reached out to the V.O.A. in Portland, OR. A mentor jumped on helping Taylor establish new routines. Fast forward to Taylor finding his sobriety – his mentor encouraged him to get into a routine. Finding work, staying busy and setting goals weren’t on the top of his list for quite some time, but with the clarity he gained, he was ready to take the leap! 

Taylor jumped on some jobs offered through GLISS, taking every day one at a time. He was slowly feeling like a contributing citizen again – most importantly he was functioning sober! Getting your life back together isn’t a quick transition. It is a collection of small choices, that lead to the ultimate change, and Taylor would agree. “This too shall pass” is a phrase that helps him conquer challenges.  

Looking back on the darker times in his life, Taylor has immense gratitude for all that he has overcome. Without those days, he wouldn’t be who he is today. Although we may not be proud of some of our past, Taylor is proof that if we can look back on our old selves with grace and acceptance, we can then appreciate where we are and how far we have come! 

Taylor left is with this motivational quote: “A vision without action is only a dream”. Go out and make the hard choices today. Push yourself to be 1% better than you were the day before. We support you!