you truly are a courageous man. although you feel you have lost a lot, you have obviously gained more.


" i took a drive today... time to emancipate. it was the beatings that made me wise and i am not about to give thanks or apologize.
"
 

As much as I love reading your blogs and check every other day it seems like to see if you have written anything else, things like this not only make me smile, but they make me cry. It's so extremely hard to see the closest, MOST important person in the world to me feel like you do. I know you have been through hell and back quite a few times, and believe me, we both know I have too, but I want you to know that no matter what you have done or how you have acted, there are people that obviously know the real Robert Cooperman and are willing to wait to see him come back completely. I as your favorite sister, ok, your only sister, am so incredibly proud of you and your accomplishments lately. I pray every single day, no joke, for you and that you keep the courage and strength to keep going with everything you are doing, and not feel like a failure for one more day. Through your good days and your bad ones Robert, you are STILL the most amazing man I have ever come to know. I dont care what anyone says because no one will ever love you or care about you the way I do. You will get what you deserve one day, and thats the absolute best. I promise. Please hold your head up high, and dont give up. Your doing way too amazing to let any of your accomplishments go. I love you....more and more every day. your sister ~ Lindsay
 

i am insanely proud of you and i relish in our smile days for i know that there are times when i am as well not the happiest and most unselfish person on the planet but im thankful that we've mutally had each other. keep your chin up buttercup, the sun is shining on the otherside of your foggy haze.
xo :)

high five on progress and here i am about to push the subscribe button, im thoroughly enthralled with your ability :)!

smooch
jrose
 

Robert,

As one of your best friends, reading this makes me want to give you such a big hug. For years I have been one of those people seeing through the haze...and you know what...I still have so much faith in you man. I always have, from the second I heard that scrambled egg voice through the door. We all make mistakes, we all do things we regret and make choices that are questionable. The part that counts though...is when you realize it and come through the hard times. That's really what life is... People learn by making mistakes and making choices. IF we were all so perfect..how freaking boring would life be! How you live with the choices you've made, realizing them and what you do next is the part of life that is amazing. Learning from your past...is something to look forward to. Things you've been through can only better you as a person and as a father. Because now, it's like you've seen the light. I've been there...and anyone our age..believe it or not...more of us are going through the same things you are to a different extent. That's when you truly become who you were meant to be. I keep telling people...I am looking forward to my 30's for a reason. Why? because in my 30's I don't have to go through the hardships of my twenty's, figuring out why? or what?...I can just strive for what is. Think this is a great time for you to read "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. It changed mine, Jaro's and Jake's lives. We are still growing ...all of us are. I wish you all the best, and remember when the chips are down, you still have good friends you can count on. Let's hang out soon. A real hang out...CELL PHONE AND TEXT OFF :) Just two friends over coffee and some good ass food.
Let's get back to our roots :)

Love ya man.


Lia
 

well all i have to say is that the person i met seemed authentic, genuine and a amazing person so what ever you are doing must be working. Keep up the positive good work. Quit beating your self up and take the lessons you have learned and move on life is to short for regrets and shoulda would couldas. Everyday is a lesson and everything you do in your life molds you to be the better person in your future. you have been through things im sure that some people haven't been through and that gives you life experience that in the long run will make you a stronger you.
Keep your head up you wouldn't want anyone to miss that great smile! :)

Remember the five simple rules of happiness:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5.
Expect less
 

I'M OFFICIALLY dedicating this song to you Rob!




NEW DAY
I'm gonna sing this song
To let you know that you're not alone
And if you're like me
You need hope, coffee, and melody
So sit back down
Let the world keep spinning ‘round
For yesterday's gone and today is waiting on you to show your face

It might not be
The prettiest thing that you'll ever see
But it’s a new day, oh baby, it’s a new day
And it might not look like
A beautiful sunrise
But it's a new day, oh baby, it’s a new day

I’m a pilgrim soul
I've traveled far and come back home
This land is hard and cold
For those who long to love
And I know it might seem
That the world is crumbling
But it’s me and you dancing in the kitchen at 2 am
And we're still alive

It’s the calm of the storm that comes blowing in
It’s the springtime saying I'm back again
The clouds that roll by
Crossing moonlight
Me and you love – everything's alright
Standing in the rain with nowhere to go
Laughing and we're spinning and I hope that you
Remember this day
For the rest of your life
Me and you love – everything’s gonna be alright

And it just might be
The prettiest thing that you'll ever see
It’s a new day
Oh baby, it’s a new day
If you look outside
To see a beautiful sunrise
It’s a new day
 

Sounds like you have a good goal set for yourself.
Good luck, buddy!
 

What to say to you? Those who know you and see the Robert I see know you to be a very kind and loving man. Wisdom, clarity, and often times character unfortunately come at a high cost. I would argue that you have GREAT character. A man without character doesn't feel the pain of his mistakes nor struggle through such chaos to see clearly the path he wishes to choose next time he is faced with the same set of circumstances. Life is a pattern of events which repeat themselves. Choosing the path of honor and integrity allows a person to be able to look peacefully when they come upon their reflection. It is amazing how parenthood or even a great loss can open one's eyes to this truth.


The pain and endless realizations of mistakes or misteps will lessen. The remorse and regret will not. That's okay.


I would offer this to you, the greatest apology one can ever give is to simply take the lesson and truly learn it so that you do not repeat it again. Once this is accomplished, you have validated any wrong you may have done and then made it as right as you possibly can.


Forgiveness is an interesting lesson in life. It is hard to truly know forgiveness until you are given it by someone you have harmed in some way and desperately need forgiveness from. When a person gives that to you, it teaches you how critical it is to give that simple gift to those in your life. When it is withheld it is soulcrushing.


As I read the comments from your sister and some of your closest friends, I heard endless amounts of forgiveness, praise, pride in you for the changes you are making, compassion for your struggle, true and genuine encouragement and support, and mostly LOVE.



It is apparent from your blog that you have punished yourself more than enough for every mistake made. Now ALLOW YOU to forgive yourself. There is a difference between saying what I did was okay and forgiving yourself. There is also a difference between acknowledging when you have made terrible mistakes and kicking your ass repeatedly for doing so.


If you could only see what we all see in you....... you would surely be quite surprised at how amazing you truly are as a dad and a friend and it sounds like as a brother.
It's good for us I guess that you can't, too much of that and you might get a big head! as if! lol

You have helped me to be a better person in the short time I have known you. Taught me a few things about myself that weren't necessarily easy to learn. You have been supportive and positive and there have been several occasions when I have looked to you for how to handle a particular encounter or situation with dignity and grace, humility and respect and in general an incredible amount of thoughtfulness for others and their perceptions or feelings. I have learned a lot from you my friend, and consider myself beyond fortunate to know you.


I'm very curious to see the man who will evolve out of this period of difficulty for it will not last forever and you are certain to be someone brilliant beyond imagination.


Much love,
Your friend Carey
 

Maybe you can appreciate this.... I listen to this sometimes to remind myself.



 

Rob,
these really are the only things worth writing about sometimes. your honesty really made me sit up and take stock. I've done so much damage to myself too. sober almost 22 years and relapsing for 2 and now sober again going on 3 but even when I was in Austin smoking pot and realizing now how much that fucked me up and diluted what could have been such a beautiful spiritual adventure...it was anyway...but coulda shoulda been more...deeper...more authentic but it's the best I could do. But one thing I learned for sure is that a new world order is under way and angels are here on earth and ready to help us if we ask. I know that I've been forgiven...my penance before God was accepted and somehow it was communicated to me that sin would no longer be an option for me...angels will knock me down before before I get too far afield. But I will make mistakes every day and I'll be corrected and I've asked for that correction...painful as it is...there is no pain greater than being separated from our true brothers and sisters. And man, I need a whole shipload of grace but I say thank you for it cause I do need it. I limped back up north with almost nothing material left but I'm closer to God in this moment and I know that if my life were to end in this very moment I'd be safe and I will see all of you again. I'm so grateful for that. So many of you saw my ugly ego and I'm so ashamed now to reflect on the distortions it created and how it blocked me from authentic interaction with so many in Texas. But it was the best I could do and now I can see it was all part of what I had to go through and now I must continue. I'm looking for beauty still and love but I'm so lonely and afraid...I'm afraid that I'll never be courageous enough to show my true heart...never be strong enough to bear the separation I feel from one person who I believe to be someone connected to me since the beginnings of time. And because of sin I've been separated from her. I don't know how to bear this but today I'm sober and I'm thinking and I'm feeling and I weep and I pray and I read and empathize with beautiful souls like yours. I have a feeling that next time we meet I will not even be able to tell if it's in this life or the next...I believe the transitions are so gentle and subtle and angels so abundant to help us that it's just silly to worry about those things...still I do. But I'm moved by what you wrote and it opened me up. I went to mass twice yesterday and received communion twice (never done that before...checked with the priest who said it's ok) cause I feel the presence of God so near and I know how filthy I am. But I know how much He loves me too and He doesn't even notice...He only remembers the beautiful soul He sent me out with...you are beautiful Rob and you're as authentic as it gets so smile and go hug somebody...go help some idiot like me write the best song they ever wrote...better than they ever dreamed they could write and then write one for yourself and say a prayer for me cause I don't want to go home till I've written one for myself.

Love,
Shep