The ARC at 10

We seem to measure life in decades of years. Every ten years a milestone is set.

History is bracketed in decades: The Roaring Twenties, The Peace and Love 60’s, The Big Hair 80’s.

The ARC today crowns itself with its 10-year anniversary. One decade well spent. Its founders can look back at these years with pride—10 years of existing here on this little island offering a safe place for those injured in body and spirit where they can find help, acceptance, educations and kinship with others who totally understand and will listen unconditionally. Hopefully they will heal, even if only for each visit, each week, they can come to this place of calm, and take some away with them when they leave.

What ARC Means to Me

It starts when I open the old door and pass over the sill that is worn from the passage of others for many years. This wonderful old building that once was dedicated to saving buildings and people from the ravages of fire, is now a place for people who have emotional fires burning them. They can come to this building and know they are safe, and can find release and relief.

When that door shuts behind me, I can feel the quiet welcome. The space from floor to the high tin ceilings lets me breathe; there is room to breathe here and openness of sanctuary. I have often thought that I could sleep very well in this building, feeling calm and safe, as if it could even transform my sometimes troubling dreams to ones of peace and quiet for body and soul.

Some of the people I have met here have become valued friends, whose total understanding and acceptance is worth more than gold, priceless. We know we can call these friends if we are hurting, and we can call to plan some fun, too!

The social outings that I have taking part in have given me some of the best times in my recovery—a day where I feel like me, freed to be OK, free to be ME.

I am so very glad that the ARC exists in this space, and I am so very glad for all the time I spend here. For me, it is sanctuary. Thank you for this refuge.