You work hard to reach success only to really blow it once you get there. Stories were shared and examples were sited over and over again about people achieving professionally and destructing personally. Watching the progress of the Lewinsky-Clinton scandal seems to be a current crisis of the successful. But are these only stories of the rich and famous? How would this apply to small rural Traverse County?

Actually, the coffee shop gossip tells similar stories of gambling addiction, affairs, alcohol abuse, etc. as were sited in the article. The degree of "success" may be different but the role and status in the community are very real.

So waht's happening to people? John Evans,a recovering alcoholic and very accomplished businessman, was given a message as a child which led him to fear success. His aid was alcohol. He believed the higher someone rises in a worldly position, the lower their self-esteem drops. Through alcoholics anonymous, he was able to overcome his alcohol addiction and balance career and eventually family life.

Mary Bell came in touch with her story and the memories of her family of origin to overcome alcohol and founded the Houston-based Center for Recovering Families. She believes "achievement is the alcohol of our time". People achieve a project to get feelings of euphoria. Each project has to be bigger and better than the next to reach the same feeling. When it is not reached, there are feelings of pain. A person begins to rely on their external sources of achievement rather than who they are internally.

Finally, Bubba Levy is part of a group of CEO's who meet and support each other to avoid the break down they have witnessed from others in positions of success. Earlier, Levy developed tennis as his obsession which kept him away from his wife and children. To overcome his obsession, he came in touch with his feelings and became more in tune to the people and world around him. He discovered peace.

The techniques learned by each person were unique to their situation. They all found a support person whom to talk and they came to terms with their family of origin, not to blame but to recognize. They also focused on their feelings and internal self-worth. These techniques can be applied to any form or degree of success in any part of the county....even rural Traverse County or the White House.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 1998