We have shared some amazing stories with you about individuals who turned their lives around in amazing ways. Remember the story of Khalil Rafati? He lost everything due to an addiction to heroin and ecstasy, but everything changed when he became addicted to helping others and started a $15 million company. How about Joshua Horton’s amazing recovery story? He went from alcoholic who abused drugs and had multiple criminal convictions to a magna cum laude law student.
VIDEOS BY INSPIRE MORE
Now we have another incredible story of a man who changed his life… the story of author Craig Stone. Craig went from homeless– living in a park– to becoming a husband, father, published author. How did he do that? He told the story himself in a series of tweets below.
1/ I’m going to tell a story about how I went from living in a park with a fat beard, to being an author. Here goes…
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
2/ I was working in the city. I was about to hit 30, depressed (I know, what writer isn’t?), single, skint and a tiny bit heartbroken.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
“I moved into a studio flat in Kilburn,” wrote Craig. “Out of the blue, my landlord put my rent up. I asked work for a small pay raise, you know, my first one in four years.” “They said no.” “I asked the council for help, they said talk to my landlord. My landlord said talk to the council.” Their answer left Craig with nowhere to turn. He had no money and no hope of resolving the issue. But he did have a dream.
7/ I had always harboured a deep delusion that I was destined to become a great writer. So decided to be bold. – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
9/ I walked out on my job and flat and moved into the local park. I took a pad and a pen. A sleeping bag. A jumper. A bag of coins.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
Living as a homeless man in the park, Craig’s love of writing became more than a hobby, it became his escape.
10/ I lived in Gladstone Park North London (Willesden Green). To take my mind off the depressing reality that I had failed life, I wrote. – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
12/ At night I would walk to the corner of the park, and stare up at the homes and wonder how people got so lucky that they lived in one.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
13/ After a period of cold mornings, being ignored, fearing teenagers and washing naked in the park after midnight — my book was finished – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
With finished book in hand, Craig was ready to ask for help. Not so much for himself, but for his precious creation, a story called The Squirrel That Dreamt of Madness.
16/ ANXIETY: Your book is going to get wet, or lost, or burned. Kids will eat it. ME: My existence is now this book. I need a computer.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
17/ I called my sister and asked for help. I lived in a small room in Greenhithe on borrowed time. I typed and released to Kindle. – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
18/ I sat in Dartford job centre, refreshing the Amazon page waiting for reviews. Maybe if I got enough reviews, I could get a book deal.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
“The Amazon reviews appeared,” wrote Craig. “Lots of them. No literary agent would read it. What genre is it? What’s it about? They didn’t understand.” But there was one person who did understand. So she messaged Craig.
22/ But, a girl had read the book. She tweeted me, thinking I was some big shot author. Who was I to break the illusion? – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
Neither one of them had any idea that the simple message would turn into something more…
23/ Long story short: I dated that girl. I moved in with that girl. I married that girl. I recently had a baby with that girl.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
Early morning with my son. LOOK AT HIS BEAUTIFUL FACE. #lucky pic.twitter.com/GFCLifRbmm – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 26, 2016
24/ I now live in a flat that has a balcony that looks down on a park. And I have a cupboard; so don’t have to hide my clothes in a bush.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
25/ My second book found a literary agent and was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize. – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
He ends his story with an important lesson:
26/ So the moral of the story is dead ends can become ways out. And sometimes you have to sit in the wrong place, to see the right view.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
27/ REMEMBER: In another life it could just as easily be you, looking up at a warm home from the cold park. – craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
28/ So please spare a thought for the homeless this Christmas. It’s OK to look people in the eye. It’s OK to give people some of your time.
– craig stone (@craigstone_) November 24, 2016
Let’s all keep Craig’s story in mind during the Holiday season of giving: “In another life it could just as easily be you, looking up at a warm home from the cold park… It’s OK to give people some of your time.”
Share this incredible story today!”
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.