Welcome
To the Elephant on Main Street community: After a service disruption of several weeks, we have moved Elephant on Main Street to a new, reliable service provider. We are relaunching the discussions, and expect to add other content over the coming months. Thanks for your support and participation in the past.
Addiction is a disease that affects all of us, whether or not we drink or drug ourselves. It's time we talked about it openly, as we would any other treatable illness that destroys lives. At the same time, we need to take responsibility for treating our illnesses.
This is a work-in-progress in three ways.
First, I am writing and posting chapters as I go along. Each element is a self-contained story that can be read on its own. In the end, Our Odyssey, Back Stories, Tales from Main Street, and Interludes should all come together as a coherent hypertext. There is more information about the origins of this project in the Background section.
Second, I envision this site as a spirited community in which readers will post their own experiences and comment on what they read here in the Discussions area. My stories are meant to be a catalyst to this larger discussion of the impact of chemical dependancy on ourselves and our loved ones. With your help, I also will be building a wide-ranging Resources section to help people find the information they need.
Third, my path has dipped, climbed, twisted and sometimes been obscured by underbrush or blocked by fallen limbs. But the longer I trudge on and meet fellow travelers, the more I enjoy the journey.
I suggest that you start at the beginning of the main narrative, Our Odyssey, but feel free to click anywhere. Meandering is good. 
The Elephant on Main Street © 2005, 2006, 2007 Thom Forbes