(relapse is the rule, not the exception) When my therapist told me, “Relapse is the rule. Not the exception.” I didn’t understand his parabolic saying. So I asked myself: What Would Jesus Diagram to make me see the meaning? I call timeout and walk to the pitcher’s mound. I take the wheel from my therapist and give it to Jesus. Jesus calls forth rain. The field crew rushes to bring out the tarp, but Jesus waves them off and walks on puddles as He enters the game. He spits on his hand and draws a line in the dirt. Then several more lines. In the end, there’s an illustration of two gates—one wide, the other narrow—and a broad road. Then Jesus (dressed as Morpheus from The Matrix) wipes his hands off on his robe, plucks two pills from between his toes, and stands up with outstretched hands. He assures me that his feet are washed and to worry not. I see the light in his eyes—being a teacher gives him joy. His hands contain two pills: one marked DESTRUCTION, one marked LIFE. I immediately choose the latter. Jesus points to the illustration: The broad road and wide gate are marked THE RULE. “Many enter through it,” he says. When he points to the narrow gate— Normally, I wouldn’t cut Jesus off while he’s teaching, but this time I make an exception. “Yes,” Jesus tells me, “what you guess is correct: THE RECOVERY GATE is narrow… ‘and only a few find it.’” ✍🏾 MADennis, 9/28/2026