Most people living in one day at a time recovery will encounter the reality of chaos which attacks their spirits interfering with their peace of mind, or what we could call our one day at a time wellness. We all have suffered, or will suffer, in such times. Such chaos is a reminder of when we had bottomed, or were bottoming out, and in desperations we thought, or even cried out, “God help me”. At that time such words might have been as foreign to us as is the language of a lost civilization. Now while in recovery, either new or even well seasoned, the chaos that sometimes appears in our lives brings us to these words again. “God help me”. The repetition of such words can bring us to a place with a new peace. Prayer does work. We don’t have to know how or why. We call it the reality of grace. Peace.
Those of us who are living in one day at a time recovery need to hear the sounds of recovery. We need to hear “We are not alone” and “Reach out”. We need to hear “Keep coming back” and “Accept what we cannot change”. We need to hear “The gift of desperation”, “Turn it over” and “Let it go”. We need to hear “This too shall pass” and “It gets better”. These phrases, which are nothing more than sounds when we are in early recovery, eventually reveal the knowledge and the feelings of the inextricable connection that recovering people share. In time, we understand our reality. We all want the unmanageable chaos to stop and for life to become manageable, doable, and well. The sounds of recovery become wisdom and the monkey falls of our back. We are gifted with grace. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know the reality of peace interrupting anxiety and depression. As both anxiety and depression lay claim to our beings with the scourges of obsession and addiction, the gift of desperation brings forth a bottom (perhaps a forced intervention) which leads us to the reality of an interrupting peace. This interrupting peace (desperation) gives birth to abstinence and abstinence in turn gives birth to another interrupting peace often found in coffee shops, therapist’s offices, and the rooms of recovery. Discovering togetherness (being no longer alone) is a great healer. It interrupts both anxiety and depression with again another interrupting peace. We call it grace. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery discover that there are streams we need to cross to live and experience reality and life. Often we do so by using the stepping stones of recovery. What we realize is that these stones can be dry and secure or they can bet wet and difficult. We need to use these stones to be able to participate in reality and life. They’re part of our journey. Those we are akin with, and professional advisers can show us how to navigate these crossings. We don’t need to brave the wilderness without guides. Most of us believe reaching out is the first stone we step on. We are entering a new reality. We are to become well enough to be responsible in life. Even if we get wet we’ll be okay one stone at a time. Welcome to recovery. Welcome to life. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the sometimes problematic realities of us and all our troubled friends. This reality happens when we subscribe to the reality that we are not enough in living in the present, so therefore we must subscribe to the marketed belief that we will be enough sometime in the future. We reach out for what is often unobtainable (some kind of non-existent utopia). Often happiness is elusive because of the imperfections of today, A wee bit of gratitude and a dash of reasonable thinking helps us, and all our troubled friends, to find happiness, joy, and contentment as we sip coffee and solve all of the undeniable problems of the world. When we are in recovery we learn from our past, we become present in the present, and we have hope for the future. We’ve found reality, freedom, and grace. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand that as we find wellness we will discover that the sincerity we have developed to help us find recovery often fills us with hope which started because of the reality of the gift of desperation. Many of us call this by another name. We call it grace. The sincerest of efforts to remain healthy must be accompanied by a longing for the freedom that wellness gives to us. This longing teaches us to be gentle with ourselves. We understand that we are enough. As we grow we learn there is no other reality. Even when we struggle we must have faith that we are enough. Peace.
Many people living life one day at a time understand the reality of living a life based in recovery. Our truth is that the choice that we make to remain abstinent on a daily basis is the most important choice we can make. We do not question this because without recovery we don’t have choices and without choices we don’t have freedom. No adversity, qualm, or misfortune should ever take this reality from us. We need to be vigilant always about not taking that first drink, haul, or hit and we shouldn’t put ourselves in a situation where such a thing is at risk. Our necessity is to take precautions, have supports, and ask God, the spirit, or the universe for help. One day at a time our lives are based in recovery and our lives can be a wonderful journey. Be careful. Peace.
Some people living in one day at a time recovery understand what it is like to have hit a bottom in which they had become realistically irresponsible and were unable take care of themselves. We often find these bottomed out souls in detoxes, hospitals, and jails. We extend an open invitation to these people to join us in the rooms of recovery. We tell them we know what it’s like. Once upon a time we were them. We offer them hope and freedom from active addiction. It’s a new reality. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand that our every day practices that we do to help us live in recovery are actually deposits in our reservoir of skills that we will need to maintain our daily abstinence and wellness. Such deposits are acts of daily prayer, meditation or contemplation, reading recovery based material, professional support, and meeting with others in the rooms of recovery. Such endeavors fill up our tanks should we need to make a withdrawal to help us face life, stay abstinent, and live in recovery. We know when we need to have a coffee with someone, or go to a meeting, or seek professional help. When our reservoir is full and active we know when to reach out. Filling our tank is a daily thing. It is interesting how the interest grows. We understand it’s grace. Peace
Many people living in one day at a time recovery discover the end of lonely roads. What we have discovered is that others in recovery help us to be acquainted in kinship. This enables us to break the binds of isolation. Should we gather in the rooms of recovery, kitchens or coffee shops, we know we no longer have to be alone. We share the good, and the bad, knowing that each day we are in recovery is a successful full day. We have been told one day at a time recovery can work miracles in our lives. Most of us discover gratitude being ever so grateful. Peace.