Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality of covering all the bases. The first base we have to cover is having a real relationship of being a part of in the rooms of recovery. Reality is that we all need support no matter what our addiction or our unhealthy dependency appears to be. We now have the opportunity of being a part of. We discover we are all a part of a machine. This is not an insult. We need to be apart of not a part over. It’s of paramount importance. In our addiction (or unhealthy dependency) we were on auto-drive with no place to go but to crash and we did. Our purpose became to reach out for help and be a part of. In doing so we learned to hear, see, and believe. And again opportunity was knocking. Now the beginning was beginning. We were starting to cover all the bases. We began taking direction and we had a touch of freedom. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery eventually get to understand that if we didn’t have any regrets why were we seeking recovery, sobriety, or abstinence. Our regrets are what drove us to seek the help we need to find the reality of a better life. Many of us found ourselves in financial, spiritual, physical, moral, or legal trouble. We had probably hit a bottom and we needed help. We cried out and that very moment it came in the form of grace. Grace is usually that detox, rehab, hospital, or forgiveness from that frustrated but forgiving spouse who gave us one last chance. In our desperation we clung onto that chance and sought help from other people in the rooms of recovery. Then and only then would we truly understand what regret did. In time we realized that regret saved us. Life had become anew because of it and in our one day at a time recovery we found ourselves living a life we had never expected to know. We had freedom from active addiction. We had freedom from pain. It’s a bit of a paradox isn’t it. Be grateful for it. Peace.
Some people living in one day at a time recovery who found the recovery in the rooms of recovery live with a reality which is we cannot be your sponsors. The reason why is because your problems burn a hole in the very core of our beings and your egos are still dictating that you are in complete control of everything and everyone. Besides we don’t have the time to witness the deconstruction of your egos because our time is valuable and taming the ego can be a very difficult thing to watch. If you could only learn to listen and let go of your old ideas some of which are you need to let go and believe whole-heartedly that you are not God. When you no longer take offense to every criticism or direction that differentiates from your own egoic desires you are teachable. Now the journey begins. You discover reality and reality teaches you what one day at a time recovery is all about. It’s an everyday experience and no – we cannot be your sponsors. You are now our teachers. Peace.
Some of us who are living in one day at a time recovery sometimes find ourselves sharing our stories with other people in the rooms of recovery. We might share that a big part of our recovery is our prayer life. People new to recovery might not be able to grab onto this reality and we know this so we repeat our reality again which is we pray. Those of us who rely on centering prayer will probably share that we pray a few more times. People who are new to seeking recovery just don’t seem to understand that when we say we pray we mean we pray. It’s as simple as that – we pray. Prayer is simple. We ask for help and we say thank you to whomever of whatever we pray to. It’s a wonderful way to touch base with God. We tell them we pray. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know what it is like to have a slip. We have experienced slips that have turned into full blown relapse and we have had slips that were just a taste. Nonetheless both have interrupted our continuous abstinence and we need to realize one thing which is continuous abstinence can and will happen again if we seek the help of God and the good people who support the reality of us finding continuous abstinence again. There is another reality though and that is that there will be others who will criticize us for our slips. Critics are foolish people indeed because they don’t understand the reality of human imperfection. A slip can be a catalyst to start a life-time of continuous abstinence. In this we learn the meaning of one day at a time recovery. Nonetheless be diligent. Don’t pick up. Reach out. Peace
Many people living in one day at a time recovery live with the belief that we can only keep what we have by giving it away. This belief has taken on a new meaning for some people. This new belief is we can only keep what we have by selling it to you. Oh well – whatever floats your boat. Most of us just hope that people who are struggling to find recovery will learn to take life one day at a time by way of something that works because we know what works for us might not work for others. Another reality is what works for us just might be exactly what works for others. Twelve step personhoods have been proving this for decades. Twelve steppers also know some people need professional or outside help. This is a wise and tested view of recovery. We’re just trying to be of service by mostly giving it away. God bless you. Peace.
Many people who spend a committable amount trying to help those of us who simply don’t want help actually feel a heaviness weighing down upon our shoulders. It is not really a burden but it is a responsibility and it is a labor of love. What we actually get to understand is we can only keep what we have by giving it away. In other words when we try to help others we are probably helping ourselves. Touching base and sharing our recovery is a must for many of us no matter how heavy the load seems to be. We have to do difficult in life and we have to face adversity in one day at a time recovery. It helps us to grow. It keeps us abstinent. It is all recovery’s perpetual knocking on our door. We let it in; we let it out. It’s our calling. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand that doughnuts don’t always have holes, rainbows aren’t always seen, and paintings aren’t always paint by numbers. In other words people aren’t always the same and recovery doesn’t always advance in a straight line. Now that we know this we need to understand that it is our own resilience given to us through God’s grace that makes it possible for us to string day after day together so that we might get to experience long-term abstinence which gives us the opportunity to see that we are all different yet we are all the same. We just want the troubles to end and they do one day at a time. What we are saying is that our beliefs expand as we grow. It’s a step in life’s continuing development and it’s one of life’s greatest gifts. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know what it is like to heave feelings of discomfort which might make us feel paralyzed. We might also feel like there is something crawling in our beings all at the same time. Many of us have experienced this while craving for our drug of choice and we could say that we were experiencing what was once called the Heebie Jeebies. Experiencing the Heebie Jeebies is a very difficult thing to do especially in early abstinence. To get through these times many of us seek help from others as we attend 12 step meetings. What we understand is we don’t have to face these these feelings alone. If we hang on we will discover that there is divine intervention at work. Options just happen and we make it through another day. What once was impossible now happens. We stay abstinent. We understand belonging and we understand freedom from active addiction. Reality and recovery are doable. We know grace. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality of doable independence. In being doable independent we recognize the reality of needing help, reaching out for help, and giving help to others when we are capable of doing so. This is the circle of doable independence and knowing its reality is important for us so we can find and live in one day at a time recovery. We could call this circle a fleet of wishes, a legion of hope, and an endless supply of grace that we get to experience one day at a time. When we experience this we know that no one person is an island. Now we are ready to grow. Gratitude becomes a big part of our daily lives. We welcome reality and its doable independence. The mystery is uncovering one day at a time. We are awakening. Peace.