When we first begin to enjoy relief from our alcoholism, we run the risk of assuming control of our lives again. We forget the agony and pain that we have known.
Many of us have been "30 day wonders." We were desperate and dying when we showed up at our first recovery meeting. We identified with the alcoholics we met there and the message they shared. With their support, we were finally able to stop drinking and catch a free breath. For the first time in a long, long time, we felt at home. Overnight, our lives were transformed; we walked, talked, ate, drank, slept, and dreamed recovery.
Then, recovery lost its novelty. Meetings that had been a thrill became monotonous. Our wonderful recovery friends became bores; their uplifting recovery talk, drivel. When our former friends called, inviting us back for some of the old fun, we kissed our recovery goodbye.
Sooner or later, we made our way back to the rooms of recovery. Nothing had changed out there, we'd discovered--not us, not our friends, not the drinking, not anything. If anything, it had gotten worse than ever. True, recovery meetings may not be a laugh riot, and our recovery friends may not be spiritual giants. But there's a power in the meetings, a common bond among the members, a life to the program that we can't do without. Today, our recovery is more than just a fad--it's a way of life. We're going to practice living our program like our lives depend on it, because they do.
Just for Today: I'm no "30 day wonder." The recovery way is my way of life, and I'm here for the duration.