Phoenix House Philosophy

written by: Ron Williams, 1967

 

Our philosophy is that every person has an inborn dignity and self pride. Self pride is like a young sapling that must be trained, channeled, and nurtured until it is able to become deeply rooted and stand alone, self supported and unshakable in the conviction that it's firm foundation can withstand the test of any ill wind that may attempt to uproot it.

An ill wind has stunted the growth of our pride but, with each other's help, we will, we must dig our roots deeper, make our foundation stronger and learn to combat and defeat all obstacles that stand between us and our goal of maturity, dignity and self-respect.

Our symbol the Phoenix, derives from the Egyptian myth of the great bird which is said to have destroyed itself by fire and to have risen again from it's own ashes.

It is what we, who have destroyed our lives by drug addiction are striving to do, rise from the ashes of our defeat to take our rightful place in society. Society will accept us for once we have regained our dignity, we will be society.