AA Wisdom

We’ve been emailing a wonderful–and very wise woman who just celebrated 9 years of sobriety! She goes by the name of “DC13″ and with permission we share some of her recent thoughts.

It’s the little details in life that we sometimes take for granted that really end up meaning the most especially when they are taken away from us. The wonderful thing is that recovery does happen and lives are changed. Read on. . .

I went to jail 9 years ago yesterday (11th) so today…November 12, 2009…is my 9 year clean date……and let’s just say it’s been quite a roller coaster ride! I personally don’t call where I am as recovered or in recovery….addiction is part of what I am….my sister is diabetic, so she has things that she has to do every single day to make sure that she stays safe and stays alive…..same thing with me…just a different disease ya know. AA is great; as well as NA….personally I think a 12 Step program is very important because it makes you actually work out what makes you tick….but all any of these are is for support…they give the tools to learn to build a “new house” …..but it’s totally up to each person if they choose to build a mansion…..or haphazardly piece together a shack that will blow over with the first spit of wind.

‘Why don’t you just quit?’ was a regular question around my life for about 20 years….I get to put my kids to bed at night now….and know that I’ll get to do again tomorrow… I will never take for granted what my youngest boys hair smells like fresh out of the shower and p.j.’d up and ready for bed at night…those little things make bad days easier.

God…..I know what kind of places and circumstances I put myself in….for me it wasn’t A.A. but it was a 12 step program….helped me learn to help myself…..and introduced me to other people that would be less likely to believe my crap and would help to call me on it when I started spouting it…..accountability is an absolute necessity!

Cure…..don’t believe it…don’t buy it….never heard of it…..had to learn to live in spite of the disease that I have……not let the disease live in spite of me…..I am and will always be an addict…..if I ever for one minute forget that, or become complacent about that or I will once again fall. I work very hard every day to not let that happen….and for 9 years now I have not let my disease be the boss.
But that’s just me.

Thanks DC13!

* Have you “tried everything?” To learn about low cost, affordable phone counseling with Joe Herzanek for families click here.

____________________________________________________________________
AA Wisdom NA Wisdom AA Wisdom NA Wisdom AA Wisdom NA Wisdom