In JP’s own words, he said, “I was a wine distributor, so I was being paid to be an alcoholic.” He was also using and selling recreational drugs. This went on until he got sick and tired of being sick and tired and felt there was another road for him. He moved from a big city to a smaller one, and took up a different line of work, going cold turkey off alcohol. He went with his feelings of artistry; letting them bubble up into paper and ink, black and white micro-drawings. He noticed others, at work, going down the dark road he had and extended a hand to help – by listening and caring about them, offering street-smart advice delivered in a whole-hearted way. All the while, he was pushing, fighting and clawing out his life. And even though he felt this way, he kept on taking one step at a time. He kept making art, progressing and maturing in his craft (yours truly bought his first piece). He earned and saved enough money to tour Chile on his bicycle (where he is originally from), and took a friend the second year, showing him around and what was possible when you put yourself out there, believing in the good of others all over the country.
And then, Erin, a young woman-friend of his, challenged him by asking him hard questions… about faith and belief and worship. He recalls something clicked inside and seemed to make sense of what she was saying. It woke him up. He went to church, he read scripture. Things got easier. The less he fought his life, the more he learned and leaned into it, the better it got. He said, “when I judged less, I felt better.” He began to take a class in addiction and recover. That was months ago, and very soon, he will start to counsel others through Bondage Breakers, a recovery program that helps addicts. He and Erin have also sprouted a beautiful relationship, walking the same path in life and sharing their spiritual journey.
I met Juan Pablo in 2014 and the thing I noticed immediately about him is his authenticity and openness to new ideas and thoughts. I think this is what caused his transformation; that he thought there was more and was open to it, pursued it, groped his way around sometimes, and always took another step forward.