Many people who are living life one day at a time get to experience truth in recovery. Perhaps we get to experience reality as we have never experienced it before. We get to experience that we are flawed and beautiful human beings who are worthy of love and belonging. Anything less than that we are being dehumanized. Rest assured, we are loved and valued in the eyes and the hearts of many people. We learn this when we are living in one day at a time recovery. Our reality is we are people who live with adversities. Every adversity we overcome or adapt to is a big deal. We understand this and we give ourselves credit where credit is due. In humility we celebrate our worthiness. When we do so we understand that reality is the majesty of recovery. We are people worthy of love and belonging. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery have had times spent walking through hells. Often these were times of fear and feeling disconnected. This, in other words, is the power of shame. Figuratively speaking shame can be an immensely powerful demon that is haunting and cruel. Almost everyone has felt it, and if your demon is a bully the aloneness and the fear can be crippling. It is described as walking through hell. It is important that we know we don’t have to walk alone. It’s not a matter of manning up or putting on your crown. It’s about someone showing us acceptance, kindness and love until we can do the same for ourselves. Reach out. It’s important. When we reach out we know that we are worthy of love and belonging. And when we reach out we learn that we matter, and that we are children of the creator who are no less important than the sun, the waters or the air that we breathe. When we walk through this hell we become adept to do as such when confronted with other hells in life, and we can even show others that they matter. When we do this we find we are empathetic souls who really care. Empathetic souls make other empathetic souls. This is important. We all matter. Peace.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery believe that life offers an abundance of hope. It is a purposeful reality even though it appears to often hide from us. In our darkest days we know hope is because it has to be. Our experience in recovery has taught us this. We have seen ourselves, and others rise from the ashes of despair. We have reached out to others, and others have reached out to us. In doing so not only did we share the bond of desperation, we share the gift of hope. What we have seen, and what we have experienced is the abundance of hope. We don’t believe that we live with toxic positivity. We believe that in reaching out we find support. In this support we see that we too can be healthy and well. When we are well we will see the reality of adversity and our reality tells us we do not have to face difficulties alone. We reach out. We give back. Hope is a purposeful reality. We have seen it and experienced it far too often not to believe it exist. It simply has to be. Peace.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery know time takes time. This is a reality we know and understand but in all reality time goes by pretty fast. Another reality is we are simply to live life as it has been laid out for us. What we will experience is that we have our share of pain. We will feel it. We will process it and we will deal with it the best we can. In time we might even forgive the person, the people, the institutions, or the universe for causing it. This is when we learn time takes time. Life brings bitterness and sweetness. Sorrow and joy. We process what we can. Again time takes time. Those of us living one day at a time are not brilliant thinkers. We are people who hit a wall and cried out to God, the spirit or the universe for help. When we listened in our desperation we discovered the gift of hope, and in this hope we learned time takes time. Life is painful. We know that. When we see past the pain we will see we can be happy, joyous and free. Time shows us that pain is not perpetual. Life changes and we will understand truth. Truth is time takes time. It’s a constant reality. Peace.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery know we have been sick for long enough. In other words we have done enough research. In order to become well, we know we must surrender to this. For those of us who have adverse reactions to booze and pot, it is our experience that we use neither of the two anymore. Why would we say that? We say this because using either, or both, induces irrational thoughts and behaviors. Some say that they can mimic psychosis. Some say they induce a true psychosis. In all reality, they make us sick, and because of this we surrender to abstinence one day at a time. We also find that we cannot stop when we start. With them come the delusion of control, and other forms of unreal thinking. We also succumb to irresponsible thoughts and actions. When we realize the way they have been affecting us many of us reach out for help. Most of us bottom out. Our realization is that we have done enough research, and we don’t need to do anymore. It usually takes a bit of time in one day at a time recovery to be able to grasp such thoughts. And it doesn’t matter that it’s legal. They are destroying our lives. So we reach out and get help. It’s not hard to find. Be well today. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery understand we have an illness. Often we forget that we do have an illness because one of it’s symptoms is our illness tells us we have no illness. Often we think we have a flaw in our character or that we stubbornly live our lives in denial. Would we tell a blind person that they cannot see because of their character defects. Would we tell a deaf person they cannot hear because they refuse to hear. In all reality we must look at our character defects, and we must hear how we can help ourselves but we must treat ourselves with love and kindness. We live with the human condition, and part of the human condition is anyone can live with our disorder. Though there are people who would disagree, many others know our truth. When we accept we have an illness the doors of recovery open for us. This is our reality. Supporting each other is a must and in this support we know that we are responsible for our recovery. When others, who do not live with our disorders are supportive we understand the reality of human grace. Although we live with our illness, we know we are not saints. We simply hope to be well and grow a bit one day at a time. When we do this we understand the we are also given the gift of grace from God, the spirit or the universe and we know they’re on our side. We, in all humility, learn to accept this. In time we will get past our own misery or any other delusion that we have, and we will become healthy. We need remember that time takes time. We will be well. Peace.
When we talk about recovery from addiction, a key concept is willingness. Ask yourself, what was I willing to do to get that drug? Drive in a snowstorm to somewhere miles away in hopes that you might be able to score? Call everyone and anyone you know who might have a line on where you might find what you’re looking for? If you’re an addict like me, you know what I’m talking about. Now take that same quality and apply it to your recovery. How far are you willing to go to find a new way to live? What are the “yea, buts” that get in the way of your recovery? You know, “YEA, I want to recover BUT you can’t expect me to do that!” Are you willing to commit to making as many meetings as it takes to get a handle on the basics of recovery? Are you willing to take a risk and ask someone to be your sponsor? Are you willing to give up the people, places and things that were a central part of your using life? Taken all at once, such questions can seem overwhelming but we don’t have to do it all at once. We work, one day at a time, to become willing to do the things that can return us to life and give us a chance to escape the misery of addiction. If we can can become willing, the rest will follow.
Many people who are living life one day at a time will admit that they found recovery after a crisis. More often than not this crisis forced a hospitalization upon us, or perhaps a trip to a detox center. Many of us found ourselves broke, beaten and dismayed. In such a state, we found inadvertent recovery. We had thought someone would save us but we were soon to understand that we were being helped enough to know that we were to be responsible for ourselves. Many detox centers and many hospitals allow 12 step programs to put on meetings in their facilities. Some of us went to such meetings discovering the phrase “one day at a time”. Some of us thought that we too could live in recovery “one day at a time”. When we discovered that we had options we inadvertently realized that we too could live manageable and healthy lives. Some of us believed we had discovered a kinship with these people. We were receiving the gift of desperation without even knowing it. Our reality is we need to participate in our recovery whether we choose to be a member of this kinship or not. One day at a time living is a universal way of life. When we meet the reality of being a part of recovery we start to realize we can be well. We lose some of the aloneness that has plagued us. We reach out and we experience life. When we do we give back. One day at a time. Peace.
And his world cried like suicide
Being lost so much insane
A sunny day of drinks and tokes
Then coming down like cruel cold rain
For reality does not exist
Within the tears of someone else
Being lost so lost in emptiness
All this emptiness still felt.
So he shakes his head and says a prayer
For all the pains of yesterday
And the night sweats and the morning fear
Within the cruel cold light of day
And the headaches and the trembling hands
He sees a hole punched in a wall
For the booze it took him to its lands
And he felt so very small.
And freezing rain breaks weary limbs
That grow on strong dead trees
So saddened like remorseful hymns
With a pain that no-one sees
And a hapless anguish breaks his heart
So engulfed in darkened night
He surrenders with his tears of dread
Screaming God I lost the fight.
And he drifts off in a moment real
Where much nothingness does matter
And he wakes up in the light of day
With its noise of constant clatter
While he knows he cannot change what is
And he knows exactly why
And the coming down like cruel cold rain
With the tears he often cries.
And strong dead trees just will not bend
But eventually they break
For he’s caged by pain that no-one sees
Such a lonely silent ache
But perhaps a sudden flash of light
Will dry the tears that fall
But now he coasts in search of hope
But he’s sort of blind like Saul.
Saint Paul or Saul he’ll never be
He’s a broken strong dead tree
Just a strong dead tree that broke in two
That he saw eventually
But in his strength there was a weakness
And in his weakness he was strong
And he knows it took so many years
That passed quick but took so long.
And the stars shall shine within the sky
And the rain shall often dance
And a broken strong dead tree shall pray
And be given one more chance
And betwixt beyond and up and down
Behold and hold on tight
And he knows it took so many years
And it’s grace that makes it right.
And broken strong dead trees shall fade
Into flowers that shall grow
While the bees shall simply pollenate
And new life shall simply grow
For it simply is a twist in life
That this world is forgiving
For a broken strong dead tree is gone
And has found a world of living.
And living has its ups and downs
While a strong new tree has grown
As nature changes like the tides
Where the bees had often flown
And in his life he was reborn
And in his life he sees
A sunrise and a pleasant morn
And the tears that set him free.
Though his anger screams in cold stone rage
He’s a frightened child who weeps
And silence shreds and scars his heart
So much it hides and sleeps
While music soothes the beast inside
The madness walks to mourn
And ragged is his leather coat
With its lining worn and torn.
An aging tired man in pain
Still smiles loves and needs
He fears and sleeps the troubled sleep
And shakes and sweats and bleeds
Embracing love believing hope
At times he curses all
He touches heaven walks through hell
And falls and falls to fall.
To fall in Paradise he smiles
To serve and rise in peace
Perhaps the tears and fears shall die
With the chains that shall release
The human heart the human soul
And twice his dreams are born
With the splendor of a leather coat
With its lining worn and torn.
And living has its ups and downs
While a strong new tree has grown
And nature changes like the tides
Where the bees had often flown
And in his life he was reborn
And in his life he sees
A sunrise and a pleasant morn
And the tears that set him free.
And his world cried like suicide
Being lost so much insane
A sunny day of drinks and tokes
Then coming down like cruel cold rain
For reality does not exist
Within the tears of someone else
Being lost so lost in emptiness
All this emptiness still felt.
To fall to fall in Paradise
To serve and rise in peace
Perhaps the tears and fears shall die
With the chains that shall release
The human heart the human soul
And twice his dreams are born
And the splendor of a leather coat
With its ling worn and torn.
Those of us who live in one day at a time recovery know that recovery doesn’t just happen without work. Many of us create it. It becomes the adventure that one day at a time living makes for us. We can find this journey is simple, and we often have good days. We also have good weeks, good months, and good years. This is the reality of one day at a time recovery. We will often find that throughout these good times we can experience difficulties and adversities. Often we find that when we were creating our recovery, we now have a network of supportive people we can turn to in difficult times. These people can be natural supports. Also we know when we need to seek out professional supports. With such supports we are able to deal with such adversities that seem to be simple problems that were just interspersed struggles. They don’t seem to last as long as they did when we were not in one day at a time recovery. When we realize this we are doing well. At such a time we realize that we didn’t create our recovery by ourselves. Others helped. We were people who were ill and who then became well. Also we know we made an effort to become so. We were people who had hit a low point, and because of it we received the gift of desperation. In doing so, we were offered a life of one day at a time living. God, the spirit or the universe is on our side. He, she, or they are our friend. Remember this. Peace.