IMPORTANT: INTRODUCING MY SELF ON STEEM

WOULD YOU TAKE A MOMENT TO READ MY INTRODUCTION AND ACCEPT ME INTO THIS COMMUNITY?

My journey in a nutshell…

My name is Jared Zimmerman

I am a recovered drug addict and completely new to steemit! I have a beautiful fiancé with two great kids, a cat and a dog.

I work as staff doing maintenance and "curation" for a Homeless Shelter for teens in Maine where I am able to share experiences and help others.

WHY STEEMIT?
I was listening to a YouTube channel and heard steemit briefly mentioned.The comment was, "after a year one could possibly take their significant other to dinner". Besides that I knew nothing about steemit. After beginning my research (thank you Jerry Banfield, Joe Parys, Brandon Frye and a host of others for your informative videos and plethora of information…props to you!) I was immediately drawn to the concept of being part of a unique social media and community where information is cared and shared about. I must admit, I am new to creating content on social media so please allow me a handicap as I go through the learning process.

It is important to mention I am very open to criticism, I believe we learn and grow from our mistakes. I realize not all of the content I put out will be valued the same by all eyes. However I do plan on being part of something bigger, a growing community of awareness and information. I have hopes of contributing value and content as much as possible and investing long term!

THE NUT SHELL REVEALED:
Although I hesitate to get personal, I believe honesty and transparency will help our community grow successfully.

I grew up and attended school in Bucksport, a small town in Maine. I had a semi-typical childhood with its usual tragedies. I took very early to sports art writing and music. I starting writing poems early in high school as a way to express my emotions and vent frustrations.I went to college at the University of Maine at Orono for graphic design. I had decided that was not the profession that I wanted to pursue and after two years I left college. One afternoon I came home to find a Navy brochure on my kitchen table promoting BUD/S.E.A.L. training. I had never considered the Military until then and for some reason I felt a certain curiosity for what I saw.
BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) Training.BUD/S is a 6-month SEAL training course held at the Naval Special Warfare Training Center in Coronado, CA. You'll start with five weeks Indoctrination and Pre-Training as part of a Navy SEAL Class, then go through the Three Phases of BUD/S.
I spent over one year getting ready for BUD/S. I Visited a recruiter, took the tests needed and was taken on as a Gunner Mate Guns(GMG). I then left for Great Lakes Illinois for Gunners Mate school. I spent a total of almost a year in BUD/S. I was in class 214 then rolled back to class 215 after being injured. I continued until my body gave out and was medically released from training. I later left the military on an honorable discharge.
My interest in music grew through the years in the Military and I found I had a talent for singing. When I returned home from the Military I reconnected with some friends and began singing. I started a band called Dysfunction. I also started using drugs around that time. Not taking drugs to seriously, not knowing the giant I was up against, I continued further into the rabbit hole. I decided to leave Maine and my drug habit behind and headed to Florida as to take my singing more seriously.
But we all know I did not leave my habit at home, I took it with me to Florida where “pill doctors” were becoming the in thing.
I spent 12 years in South Florida, moving from place to place. My time in Florida was productive in ways. I spent time singing for different bands, working several different jobs writing, researching spirituality and going deeper into my drug use.
I found myself homeless, in rehabs, halfway houses, jail, prison and unfortunately I had over dosed several times. I am definitely not bragging this is just the sad reality I lived. I had sung many ant-drug songs after the Military, and how drugs can make one weak never thinking I would succumb to such a crutch. Ironically I ended up doing just that. I had sung for 3 different bands while in Florida and was kicked out of the last one as my addiction completely took over. I lived life in such a dark way writing dark poems and dark sayings which I will share eventually as part of my testimony.

Plans that were never completed, ideas never fully conceived and potential never realized, that became me.

I love life, family and friends and in 2013 after years of their help along the way I found the light, or the light found me I could say. In the end, after a series of events that portrayed a Hollywood horror movie, in the midst of confusion and desperation I called out to God and emerged that moment form addiction to recovery.(The details of this I may cover in later posts) My life had changed and I felt an indescribable weight being lifted off of me. All I can say is my life changed for the better. I left my past and drugs behind and a week later I left Florida with a few bags and almost no money then took a buss here to Maine where I currently live. God led me through and to this new life. I reconnected to family and friends. I found a job that fit my skill set maintaining and staffing this homeless shelter for teen in Bangor Maine.

Along the way after returning home in 2013 I befriended a beautiful outgoing and always happy woman, by the name of Ruthee.

We grew in faith together, went through trials and tribulation together. Growing is often a painful process as we found out. She accepted me for the craziness of my past, the told true stories that you only see in movies and helped me with issues I was facing. She became a permanent and trusted friend. She loved me for who I was and who I am. Thank you to my fiancé!

This brings up to the present and here we are....
If you had hung on this long through my journey, you deserve to be praised and up-voted! I thank all eyes that read this and am looking forward to building and growing together. I will be watching my post as to respond to all comments. And If you are commenting, seriously I thank you!