Many people living in one day at a time recovery know the importance of living life and recovery just one day at a time. In the beginning becoming and maintaining abstinent is a difficult enough undertaking all in itself. When we manage to string together a few days of abstinence and the days then turn into weeks, we realize that it is more than relevant that we continue to do so just one day at a time. After a few months or even after a year or two we then knew that we really had no choice but to take life just for this day. What we get to understand is that recovery is more than likely nothing but grace and as we continue we find humility we become ever so grateful. We found reality through the gift of desperation and for this we thanked God. Peace.
A man – a brave man
His face bore the lines
And worries of
Eighty-four years
He saw a much different
World than me
He is a decorated
And true hero
The angel of death
Was no stranger
To his fallen comrades
And his fallen enemies
But he did what he had to
For he answered freely
His call to duty
Young and foolish
I longed to be a hero
And I questioned
This courageous soldier –
“What’s it like to be a hero?”
We sat in his cellar
As he quenched his thirst
With a drink of rye
And he flinched as the
Canada Day fireworks
Exploded
Then he sadly replied –
“Had there been another way,
I would have taken it.”
Most people living in one day at a time recovery know that even though they are living in recovery there is really no need to take a bow. After a few years of one day a time recovery we realize we are still only an arm’s length away from a drink, a puff, or a snort and if we partook that could not only force us to spiral out of recovery but it could possibly end our lives. Knowing this we walk humbly in recovery and we try to remain as diligent and committed as we can about staying in recovery one day at a time. It’s a life-time dream – it’s a one day at a time goal. Furthermore we love being in recovery. It beats the hell out of living in active addiction and there is no need to take a bow. Our journey is always continuing. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand that there has always been the booze. We also know that as long as there has been the booze that many of us will always have to come to terms with the reality that people like us (the people who have adverse reactions to the booze) definitely should not consume it because our thinking becomes impaired, careless, and also realistically challenged. It would be safe to say that we cannot drink like others who can drink or use without suffering any harmful consequences. What we need to understand is that we cannot drink alcohol but others can. Life has revealed this to us. What we must understand is that there has always been the booze. Others can drink. We cannot. A sober life can be a good and enjoyable life for us. It’s ours for the taking one day at a time. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know that it is the utmost importance that we find abstinence. Without abstinence there is no real recovery. For some of us it’s a hard fact to face but we have to. It’s an absolute reality. Many recovering people will say that they still have their -isms and they do so because they are real but we know that eating too many cookies is not the same as taking a drink, smoking a joint, or partaking in what we cannot partake in. Reality has proven this to us. Grace gets us through it. One day at a time recovery lets us know that when abstinent we can live good lives. Not perfect but good. Peace.
Many people who are living in one day at a time recovery know what it is like to pick up bothersome resentments. Should we do this and refuse to let go we are people who are living with the minds of a fool. This can and does happen to some people who seek help from each other in the rooms of recovery. It happens to those of us who live with the need to be in control and when we pick up resentments we can become bitter people who allow discord and ill-will to interfere with our peace of mind. If we find we cannot let go many of us pray. Prayer often helps us to let go. Letting go is a skill we all have to learn if we want peace of mind in recovery. It’s a one day at a time reality. It can save our lives. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery learn to relax while sipping either water or decaf coffee. Sipping seems to be a natural thing we do and the bonus is we can still do it when we attend meetings in the rooms of recovery. We can also do it in coffee shops and while sitting at kitchen tables. We become quite comfortable with this. What we are soon to discover is that it is the sharing in the rooms of recovery and the conversations in the coffee shops or at the kitchen table that help us navigate life and adversity. We might not understand how but abstinence (which is what we are at these times) helps us to grow. We no longer have to be alone. Let’s be well. Peace.
Many people living in one day day at a time recovery know what it’s like to be like kids in the rooms of recovery. We pick up chips or key tags to mark milestones in early recovery and because of this we have feelings of pride and accomplishment. We also become slogan happy – “One day at a time” “Easy does it” “Let go and let God”… These are special moments that help us out immensely and that new kid attitude can still come out after years of abstinence. We can’t help it because many of us are young at heart. Even the old-timers and the cynics can feel this way. Recovery is a beautiful thing. Enjoy it and be grateful. What else would we want to do. So let’s be kids about it. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know that some days it’s left-overs. This is a good thing. It means we have had and will have in abundance. When we compare it to recovery it means some of the tools that we use in our recovery are still good the next day. Look at our slogans. “One day at a time” and “Easy does it”. They are useful any time. Also let us remember “Let go and let God” which is a universal reality. We also remember that bottom we hit which gave us that gift of desperation. That one time seeming hopeless state of mind and body that we thought we had to live in is no more. Left-overs takes care of that. They are a positive reality of recovery. It’s good old-fashioned humility. Be grateful. Welcome to grace. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know the importance of the written word. In truth 12 step programs are based on and continue to be because of it. We will see that some people will dismiss and sometimes put down written material which has been passed down through generations. The written word has been a big part of keeping the program going. Without it we would lose a great deal of knowledge. Remember this. We might not have survived without it. Peace.