This past Father’s Day weekend was amazing. My wife Ashley and I split up our time between our families, visiting her parents and her grandfather, who has finally started doing much better after being sick for a little while. When we got back home, we went over to visit with my parents and grandfather, who just got out of the hospital this week. It was a great feeling to see some of the great men in our life overcome their health struggles and be present with us to celebrate this special day.
Not only was I so happy to share this day with our grandparents, but I was especially happy to spend it with my dad. He is a good, kind man with a solid set of morals and ethics that I really respect. He is an all-around genuine guy and I am so lucky to have him as my father.
I picked him up a card that talked about the price of things, and on the inside it said that even though times have changed, he will always be priceless. I know it sounds really corny, but it’s truly how I feel about him. He has always been solid in who he is, which is a man who puts God and his family first. No matter what the people around him are doing, he is always true to himself.
My father and I have always been close even when I was drinking. He was there for all nine times that I entered into rehab, and was supportive in ways that I really needed him to be without enabling me. If I didn’t get clean, I would have missed out on the true best friendship that we have now. We would have always been close regardless of the path I went down, but being sober just makes our relationship so much stronger and more meaningful.
With each and every Father’s Day that has passed since I have gotten sober, I feel more and more blessed to be able to be present in the moment with my father and truly celebrate him, because he deserves it. I strive to be the dad he is one day when I have children of my own, and I hope I am able to do so! He has been such an incredible mentor and overall good example of what a Dad should be in this day and age – someone that sticks to morals and has respect for themselves can be a rare find these days, and I am happy that I didn’t have to go too far to find it!
Author
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Paul Alexander is the CEO, President & Founder of Northbound Treatment Network in Newport Beach, California. He believes wholeheartedly in transformational leadership, organizational health and effective, fully integrated substance use disorder and mental health treatment. With over 27 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, Paul has extensive knowledge of “in vivo” treatment modalities, clinical development, operations, strategy, marketing and financial planning. He has been widely recognized for his development of collegiate-based residential treatment programs for students in recovery and authored a research study at The University of California confirming this modality’s effectiveness.
Paul’s comprehensive professional experience, willingness to innovate, and emphasis on organizational health are vital factors in Northbound’s continued success. Paul received his Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist training at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and was awarded Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2002. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society, Summa Cum Laude, from University of California, Irvine, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Paul currently serves on The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) board. In addition, he serves on The Family Recovery Foundation board and The CarePossible board in Orange County; both organizations are committed to raising funds for family recovery and treatment for former military personnel. Paul is in recovery himself and lives in Orange County with his wife Silvana and his two young sons, Noah and Dean.
