Many people living in one day at a time recovery learn that difficult is not as difficult when we have been in recovery for a while. We seem to become a bit more resilient to adversity, and we become better equipped to face such adversities should we be able to use the recovery tools that one day at a time living lays at our feet. Such tools are acceptance, patience and surrendering to reality. When we admitted the unmanageability that drinking and using brought to our lives many of us surrendered to the principal of needing help. Often in desperation we reached out and something or someone intervened, and while in hospital, detox or rehab we saw our reality for what it really is. We are people living with addiction. Those of us who accept this get to understand and live recovery. Acceptance and surrender are crucial to healthy living. We also learn patience, as difficult as it may be because one day at a time growth takes time. In time we will learn that difficult is not as difficult as it used to be. We become more resilient and we’re not alone. We become akin and also inextricably connected to others in one day at a time recovery. If we meet in the rooms of recovery with the others we are akin with we experience beyond a doubt the reality of together. Recovery becomes reality. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery are grateful for the sound of the dry cereal pouring into the bowl. The sound is tinkering, whimsical and pleasant. It is a musical sound of sobriety’s nutrition and love because we get to choose what we pour into it. It is the reality of a morning’s welcomed recovery. And we wonder – did we forget to mention it’s actually dry as in being dry? If you’re one of us you know how truly appreciated that is. We are facing reality and we are not reaching for the hair of the dog which means we are not starting the day trying to calm our nerves or numb our pain. We have hope today and we no longer want to die. It’s a gift of freedom from active addiction. Today we have a choice. We reach out and participate in our recovery. Gratitude is a gift. Peace.
Some of us living in one day at a time recovery can have difficulty feeling safe in times of change and catastrophic stress. Any of us who have experienced trauma can relate to this to one degree or another. Living through intense shame, extreme fear and deep dark depression can lead to catastrophic events. The shame is we don’t belong, the fear is we can’t belong and the depression is we will never belong. People who live with mental health disorders complicated with addictions understand this. We who survive, emphatically say you do belong, you can belong and you will always belong. We became akin with those who live their lives in one day at a time recovery. We reached out for help and we let the professionals help us. We also found safety in the reassurance that catastrophic stress will pass and life will be okay again. Some of us need medication to live healthy lives. This is not because we are weak. We live with an illness and this illness is treatable. We will feel safe again. It just takes a bit of time. We are all worthy of love and belonging. You too. Peace;
Those of us who have been living in one day at a time recovery for any length of time understand what real recovery is all about. Real recovery is about living life one day at a time because living one day at a time is truthfully about all any of us can navigate and live what we call happy, joyous and free lives. Especially when the chips are down. After a few years of recovery we can look back and remember the times that it was divine intervention that kept us clean and sober and that this intervention was the reality, and the experience, strength and hope of others from the rooms of recovery that kept us alive and abstinent as we followed their lead and tried to imitate their journey. Those of us who remained abstinent realize we might not be so if we hadn’t followed their suggestions. Even today, after years of recovery, such intervention is still paramount and is a gift that instills the continuance of hopeful and real recovery. Especially during hardship and other adversities. We do not have to face life alone unless we so choose to, and even should we so choose to try life often offers to intervene. Accepting such realities often averts tragedy and we learn to be grateful for the reality of life’s happy, joyous and free recovery. We discover this imperfect recovery is a gift. We stop being hard on life, others and ourselves. It’s our humble one day at a time journey. We are not alone. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery realize that we have responsibilities as we awaken to reality. Our awakening is we need not face adversity and emotional upheaval by ourselves. Often we understand we need to turn to friends and family to navigate such difficulties. Another reality is some of us need to take medication to be healthy enough to participate in such an awakening. This is the reality of some of us living with mental health disorders and addiction. We consult our doctor. Some of us need professional counselling. We also awaken to the reality that as we grow more responsible life offers us a reality of happy, functional and doable lives. We understand the joy of not having to face life alone. Those we are akin with show us this. Reality might fluctuate but recovery is the same. We don’t use one day at a time and we need not face life alone. God, the spirit or the universe lets us know this. We are awakening to reality and our inextricable connection to the other. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery came to a point in life that life brought change with the insertion of a semicolon. We were unwell and probably flirting with disaster or perhaps even living in disaster but in its intrusive and welcomed intervention life intervened with a semicolon or an abrupt introduction to one day at a time recovery. We discovered we were sick – not weak. Many of us believe God, the spirit, the universe or whatever our conception of the other to be are the reason we are alive today, and in keeping us alive they inserted the semicolon. We understand this to be grace. Grace is life; life is recovery. Those we are akin with show us this. We have found an inextricable connection with these people. We experienced the semicolon. Not everybody does. Reach out. Life is not perfect but it’s good. It’s the gift of a new reality. 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 learn that our recovery is an intrinsic part of life. What else could we do except to want to become healthy as we began to understand that others had discovered wellness living in recovery one day at a time, and in that wellness they had manageable, doable and happy lives. Many of them told us that recovery was the reason they were alive today. We don’t believe that anything is more natural than wanting to live decent, happy lives and this is what living in recovery is all about. It comes from being free from the bondage of active addiction. Recovery becomes an intrinsic part of our reality. It is our hope. Those we are akin with show us this. If our minds are open we are quick to learn this in the rooms of recovery. We help each other. Life is not perfect but it can be good. We know this. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time reality learn we can interpret our realities with those we are akin with. Some of us call this sharing our experience, strength and hope. We could say that interpreting reality with other recovering people teaches us to identify with feelings that we have experienced or are experiencing. Most of us can identify with the pain, shame and aloneness that we had felt before we experienced our bottoms which enabled us to find the gift of recovery. Reality had been abundantly despairing. This was a feeling we could identify with but we saw others had found the strength to live in recovery. Us too. We became well and now had hope. In our imperfections we could see life is a gift and that the other was opening a whole new world of belonging. We identify. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the joy of sitting at our kitchen tables peacefully sipping our second cup of coffee on an early sunny Sunday morning. It bears with it a feeling of gratitude, and in this gratitude we smile inside. This inside smile becomes a silent celebration. We are celebrating joy, gratitude and silence. We have escaped, for these moments, from the perils of active addiction and we appreciate the gift of being able to have a second cup of coffee. There were times, not so long ago, that we were too sick to have a second cup of coffee. Our lives had revolved around escaping reality and responsibility. Now on this sunny Sunday morning life was about being in the moment, living the quiet, and enjoying ourselves while having our second cup of coffee. We welcome the joy. There is no wondering as to why we are smiling inside. It’s a silent celebration. Peace.