Most people living in one day at a time recovery know what it is like when living in recovery seems to be like living in the tiring days. It’s a reality that occurs after we have a bit of abstinence under our belt when our emotions appear a bit flat and feelings of the humdrums occur. What is going on is we are just not getting a lift out of life. What most of realize is this is at times the reality of recovery. It can be compared to going to your job when you’re just going so you can pick up a pay-cheque. That’s what we do. We go to work to get paid and that is what recovery does. It pays us to be abstinent. Our life is and will continue to get better pretty soon. Keep the faith. Be grateful. Live one day at a time. Peace.
Many older people living in one day at a time recovery learn the realities of accepting the changes we will go through when we reach our senior years. In reality our physical health becomes a bit challenged and we can no longer do physically what we used to be able to do with ease. For most of us medical appointments occur more frequently and overall aches and pains are more prominent. We might even become emotionally less flexible and uncertainty becomes more difficult to deal with and some of us become frustrated and irritable because of this. We might even become hypocrites condemning others for doing what we once did. Our emotional struggles are simply because we have become less adaptable to the challenges of aging. The trick is to be grateful accepting that every day is grace and in grace we find wisdom. Thank God. Peace.
Many people who are living in one day at a time recovery experience the reality of the changes that occur in our minds and our bodies as we grow into our senior years. Memories might become a little clouded. Physical strength begins to wane. Our ability to adapt to difficulties diminishes and some of our friends might become home-bound. Another change is some of our friends are no longer with us. What we realize is our prayer life focuses on others but our shadow selves might become evident and active again. Some of us do not age with grace and also we might not accept our reality which is we often need help to live safely. If we cannot accept this we might grow bitter and resentful. In reality though many of us do practice gratitude and acceptance becomes our saving grace. We thank God every day for recovery. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery often become a bit critical when we don’t realize the truth about what is really going on in our lives. What we will realize is life can be difficult. When we realize difficulty is at times something we must deal with we learn to ask for help when we need to. This in itself can be difficult but doing one difficult thing can be the end or the dealing with of an even more difficult thing. Now because of that we become less critical and flow comes back into our lives. Our attitudes become that of gratitude. Joy steps back into our lives and serenity knocks at our doors. We must do difficult. It’s part of life. We know this. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery wonder will the message begin to change? Our reality is that we strive for one day at a time abstinence (meaning total abstinence) and we try to support others through their one day at a time journey of recovery but in all reality we believe many, many people will find solid and healthy lives if we awaken to the reality that together we can. This is the reality of 12 step recovery and other similar but different support groups that help us to stay in recovery. Our reality is that any addict can find recovery as long as they have the capacity to be honest with themselves and they continue to reach out for help one day at a time. We simply need to be there for each other. Prayer and meditation help too. It’s still the same message. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know that when there are three people living in such recovery and they are carrying message of that recovery they are much safer in maintaining and sharing that message and helping people who are seeking recovery from addiction one day at a time. We have heard it said “There is safety in numbers”. This is the beginning or the start of a meeting or what we call “The Group”. People helping people to feel both safety and hope. Our grass roots might begin with one person finding recovery that stirs the interest of another person. Then another and maybe another. This is a common beginning to new 12 step groups. Tried and tested and very often tested and true. As was said “Safety in numbers”. Tried and tested tested and true. One day at a time recovery has happened to many many people. When there are three we are safer. People who have been in recovery for a while know this. When there are three just one day at a time.
Many people who are living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality of facing their past and managing their life and their life’s regrets. Although we are often reminded that the past is the past and we should not live in it with its regrets and its troubles because in truth all we can truly exist in is the present moment. It is our minds that revert back to the past but when our mind reverts back into the regretful parts of our past we lay claim to another dimension of humanity which often is reconciled only by doing good deeds such as making amends or just plain old fashioned acceptance. (Or at least trying to do so anyways.) Teachers, philosophers, prophets and 12 step gurus have been telling us to come into the present in order that we can enjoy life and live in its very presence of our physical being. Like they say “there is no time like the present.” So as we learn to come into the present “the task at hand” we learn to live life. No regrets “very few are these people” because many of us ruminate in a depressed space that lies somewhere in our souls. And isn’t that what life is about for us. Freeing our souls and living our lives and our recovery just one day at a time. We must understand that freedom has its responsibility and the responsibility is to not pick up that first one. For us to use might be to die. So one day at a time we reach out, we live. When we do this we understand grace. It is a much better today. Peace.
Some people living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality of living and experiencing what confabulations are. A simple definition is a confabulation is a lie told honestly. They are often the result of false memories especially those mistaken memories that happen when we experience too much time alone and we become susceptible to non-realities formed from sometimes delusional thinking. This is not a put-down. It is a reality. We believe our own lies (confabulations). One of our biggest falsehoods is we tell not only ourselves but others we could have just one. And we honestly believed it. Today we know better. We stop believing this one day at a time. We find recovery and this recovery gives us peace of mind. We welcome the reality of reality. It part of the grace we learn to experience. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality and the simplicity of Christmas. In reality the most important thing that we can do during the holidays is to remain abstinent from mind altering substances. Some recovering people tell us they got wasted on Christmas day. They also said they got wasted on the days that it wasn’t Christmas. This means it’s a reality that we need to remain abstinent everyday one day at a time. Another reality is that many people living in 12 step recovery know where to find meetings during the Christmas Holidays. It can be a difficult season for some of us. We reach out – we remain vigilant – and we live one day at a time recovery. We might even find joy in recovery and we thank God, the spirit, or the universe for this. Welcome to miraculous grace. Peace.
Most people who are living in one day at a time recovery know that recovery does not stop life and its adversity from happening to us. Adversity will knock on our door at times we least expect it and there are times that our emotions will get the best of us especially when we feel things are spiraling out of control. Illness and/or financial hardship are two forms of adversity that can really mess us up. They let us know that we are not always in control and that life is difficult. We then discover that turning it over is not always as easy as it seems. When we trust in the supports found in the rooms of recovery we find we are not alone. That’s the answer – we are not alone. We face adversity like others do. We actually do let go. Acceptance often is the answer. Peace.