People living in one day at a time recovery eventually get to understand the reality of the silent voice. This reality is the uncovering of the unconditional love that we experience one day at a time as we become free from the bondage of active addiction and find freedom in the reality of abstinence. Another reality that we discover is that we begin to recognize and sometimes ignore the self-serving whims of our delusional egos. We become a part of the whole and we understand that being a part of is an absolute wonderful experience of grace. We are hearing the silent voice of our true selves. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery live in the reality of non-judgement’s spirituality. This is the reality of spiritually understanding that we are all worthy of compassion and love in a way that we can not even begin to intellectually comprehend. This is the reality of grace. It appears we discover this grace every morning. More often than not this grace, and a cup of coffee, makes us smile. It’s a moment of a silly little everything. It’s the reality of human belonging and an appreciated spiritual experience. Welcome to the beginning of joy. It’s a wonderful feeling. Peace.
Most people living in one day at a time recovery understand the benefits of hope and time. Hope tells us that we can live in recovery and that recovery will become an everyday reality for us. With the passing of time we get to see that our hope remains true in our reality. The longer it does the more we get to see the benefits of both hope and time. One such benefit is that we get to see that we are people who are gifted with the reality of grace and because of this grace we get to experience the reality of one day at a time freedom which becomes especially evident in the gift of the present moment. For this we become grateful. We really do. Welcome to long term recovery. It happens quickly. Enjoy the journey. Peace.
Some people living in one day at a time recovery come to understand that we are the reality of the blind hearing the mute. In other words we are the victims of a wonderful and unexpected grace born in the miracle of desperation. In reality, even though we cannot see, one day at a time we can hear what is not being said and what is being said when we cry out for help is God, the spirit, or the universe is saying, “I am with you. You are my child.” We hear this in the midst of turbulent waters and broken dreams as we wash up on the dry shores of recovery. Some of us will call it a gift. Some of us will call it life. It is the reality of the blind hearing he mute. We are bending but not broken and we are grateful. Peace.
People living in one day at a time recovery eventually get to understand the reality of reality’s unrealistic thinking. Even though the introspective reality which leads us to recovery is probably our greatest and most useful asset, such experience is of little use to those who live their lives outside the reality of one day at a time recovery. It’s simply the way reality is. We cannot expect the moon to disappear and the tides to still ebb and flow. Nor should we try to breathe life into the living. It’s just unrealistic thinking. Peace.
For most of us living in one day at a time recovery we understand that finding and living in recovery is a reality for everyone. Recovery is not limited to only white, straight, evangelical Christian men just like hitting bottom is not limited to only white, straight, evangelical Christian men. One day at a time recovery is recovery and bottoming out is bottoming out. When we understand this we will understand that we are all inextricably connected to each other and that many people living in recovery actually live in glass houses. We really don’t want to throw stones do we. A one day at a time reality check teaches us this. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery live under a patched up sky. This is the reality of living a mended life. Not only does it take the love of God, the spirit or the universe to help us heal but we also need the love of people we are akin with. Many of us have found such love in the openness and the honesty from people we have met in the rooms of recovery. They have shared their experience, strength and hope with us. When we start to see, and when we start to hear, we understand we are the recipients of compassionate love. Such acts help to patch up the holes in our sky and in doing so our skies are often sunny and blue. We get to understand the freedom of one day at a time recovery. We even get to experience this freedom should our skies cloud over and the rain start to fall. Our reality is that our patched up sky can handle the rain because God, the spirit and the universe working through those we are akin with have helped us to find shelter from the rain by helping us to build a home in the rooms of one day at a time recovery. This freedom we have is the joy of living under a patched up sky. It’s one of the greatest gifts we will experience. We’ve received our lives back. Peace.
Most of us living in one day at a time recovery know what it it is like to be living in reality and to be participating in the actual doing of life. Often we believe that to be successfully participating in the actual doing of life we must be able to work full-time regardless of any barriers that might realistically make such tasks too difficult for some people to do. In reality we know navigating such demands without realistic supports are impossible for many of us. What we know is part-time and volunteer work are just a couple of ways to successfully participate in the actual doing in life. They fill an important need. We just need the opportunity. We all need to know this. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know everyday brings hope. We don’t have to feel, experience, or absolutely understand how we have hope. It’s not a matter of faith, trust, good deeds, or anything that we have done that merits us this reality. There is hope everyday because of pain, sickness, death, and tragedy. It is because chains, terror, cruelty, and ill will supersede any act of decency or kindness. It is because want gets twisted into greed, addiction, and to the very least obsessive want. It’s because life gets so selfish we don’t even care enough to share the air that we breathe or the water that we drink. It’s because we wage war with our neighbors because we want what they have or they are a threat to our sanctimonious belief of ourselves, our God, and our society. Everyday we awaken we know this pain, this wrong, and this truth. We shed the tears, we heave the sighs, we sob the sobs, and we know the dark deep days of depression. But still we sing, we smile, we work, we laugh, and we can be exceedingly grateful. People marry or form unions of togetherness. Kindness and charity is a part of our lives. Children are born and they sing their funny rhymes. And even poets can smile. What else could we do but believe their is hope everyday. Hope is because it has to be. It’s a kin to love. There is no other reality.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery appreciate the joy of sober, sunny, smiling mornings. These are the mornings we courageously welcome while knowing that grace is shinning down on us. In all reality gratitude is ever so abundant in our hearts, our minds, and our souls that we embrace each moment. Often we experience times of progressive contemplation when all seems right in the world. Our endeavor is to live this day in abstinence and enjoy the reality of living in one day at a time recovery. It’s what life is all about. Peace.