What an Addict Taught Me About Being Good

Tony used to work with a man who was addicted to crack and alcohol. While Tony and his wife were struggling to afford formula and diapers for their infant son, his coworker quietly made sure the baby was taken care of before spending money on his own addictions.

It challenged Tony’s assumptions about addiction, weakness, selfishness, religion, and what actually makes someone a good person.

Eighteen years later, his friend is sober, but sobriety didn’t turn him into a good friend. That person was there all along.

This episode of Call Me Tony looks at the difference between functioning well and having good character, and why knowing someone’s biggest struggle may tell us far less about them than we think.