I, never in a million years, thought I would be a part of a Recovery Community. I was not the one with the "problem" ... Have you heard that before ?? But, after years of being thrown into a life situation that is here to stay, I have come to grips with, and have truly come to believe that "We are all recovering from something".
I also have to share how appreciative of this Recovery Community that I am.
I am a normy...that's what they call me. No outward addictions, no rehab for me.. but I have learned what living the truth really means... living without false pretenses, living in the moment, being raw and open and real and what that really means. Feeling safe with people who do not judge and are so appreciative when you do not judge them.
My understanding has grown leaps and bounds over the years. Another cliche... "I wish I knew then, what I know now", is an understatement. I wish I had stuck with Al Anon all those years ago. I would have spared myself and my daughter soooo much pain. I am so grateful to have this group in my life now. I wish I had attended open AA meetings years ago. I would have grown to understand addicts and I would have developed compassion (and not so much anger) so much sooner.
I now have hope for those who are addicted. I have met recovering heroin addicts, meth addicts and alcoholics, as well as those addicted to prescription drugs. I say "recovering" because they use the term, but many of these people have been sober for 5 yrs, 15 years, 35 years!! They know that with one mistake, they can fall back and they vow not to. They work their programs, they stay away from what would stumble them....they know they will always be a work in progress and they understand that and have come to terms with that. They collect their chips and cherish them and each other. They congratulate each other, they surround each other with support and celebrate each others ongoing recovery. My hope is for those beautiful people that I know "now" who are still addicted. To see some of them you would think that there is no hope....but, I have learned that there is hope. It might take longer than I would pray for, but I know it can happen! I have seen it happen!
Now, isn't this the way that we should all live? Open, honest, raw, hopeful? Those of us who are not addicted...I believe we all need a 12 step program. Why? Because it teaches you who you are. It shows you that there is a power greater than yourself, if you don't know that already. (I choose to call him Jesus). It teaches humility, and the fact that we all need each other. It teaches us how pride and arrogance will keep us down and how giving back will open up our lives and free us. It gives us a community of real, open, honest, transparent and transformed people that you can be yourself with....completely yourself. It gives you the the tools to know who "you" are and not what people want you to be.
Al Anon teaches us how to live in situations that are uncomfortable, but to never lose who we are. If we have lost ourselves, Al Anon is a program process of finding the person we once were and getting back to that place. Taking care of "you" first, then everyone else thereafter. Learning how to not live a lie, how not to cover up the truth, and fix things that you should not be fixing. Keeping our eyes on ourselves and letting others (who are going through their addictions/etc.) take care of themselves. We stop picking them up every time they fall, and guess what?, They start to learn to pick themselves up.
I am in awe of all of my friends in recovery. Real recovery, not white knuckle recovery. Your smiles, your laughter, your zest for life... So many people could learn from you. You have learned to appreciate life, and to not just "exist".
How many people can say that they are in that place? I know that I am working on this daily! I'm learning from my friends in Recovery! Thank you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment