Just another day clean and sober? I’ve “been around” (in recovery) for many years now. Each and every day when I awake I spend time in prayer and meditation, as I was taught in my first few weeks of recovery. I’ve been practicing this every single morning, and haven’t missed a day yet, but I say that not to ‘brag’ or ‘boast’, but to say that it’s now just a solid part of my day. I don’t really think about it any more — I just do it, as ‘religiously’ as I brush my teeth. There are other things throughout the day that I do to aid my recovery, that I’ve also been doing every day, one of which is in prayer, I always thank God (as I understand Him) for “another day”. In fact, that’s exactly how I word it in prayer — “Thank you, Lord, for another day.” I don’t add the words “clean and sober”, because I mean more to my thanks giving than ‘just’ to be clean and sober, but isn’t that enough? It is for this addict/alcoholic! I’m thankful for ‘just another day clean and sober’, but I’m also thankful for another day — period.
As I mentioned, I’ve been clean and sober a number of years and I’ve been doing pretty much the same things for my recovery from the day I awoke in a detox-unit “clean and sober” until now. But this brings about my point of topic — after some years, I’m not sure where in there this happens, but it’s easy to become complacent and think of recovery more as “just another day”, then to think of it as it is — a gift of incredible grace by the God we understand — or don’t understand, as the case may be — and for many of us, if it hadn’t been for His grace we’d not have lived this long. I need, for my own recovery, my “attitude of gratitude”, my mental, emotional and spiritual well-being to always remember that fact. Being clean and sober, and alive, for ‘just one more day’ is something I need to remain grateful for and never forget or become complacent with. Personally I’m afraid that if I were to become complacent or in any way take for granted that I am clean, sober and ALIVE for one more day, I might also forget that I can’t take just one drug or one drink — and soon lose it all.
They say, “A grateful addict (or alcoholic — as if there’s a difference) will never use (or drink).” I don’t know for sure if that’s true, and to be honest I don’t want to find out, but I’m reminded of a book my father used to have that sat on the end of a bookcase with the title showing, which read, “If it aint broke — don’t fix it.” That’s how I ‘work’ my recovery. I was taught certain things early in recovery (also for which I’m thankful), such as to start every day in prayer and meditation, and I still practice that today. I never get up in the morning without a time of prayer and meditation (I call it, “having coffee with God”), and I also never have this time of prayer without saying, “Thank you, Lord, for another day.” Each and every time I say that, I’m reminded deep within that God lifted me up out of ‘hell’, as a camper might lift-up a smoldering marshmallow out of the fire before it bursts into flames. I know not ‘why me’, but this is a question I don’t spend much time pondering, and instead simply bask in the gratitude inside my soul for having been one of His chosen. For this I’m grateful!
My brother, 10 years my senior, died of this disease when I was between 3 and 4 years clean. He never used drugs, per se, but drank like I did — which eventually caused his body to shut-down and, while sitting on the floor of his humble apartment, a hard-boiled egg and empty shell of another on one side of him, and a 1.75 liter bottle of whiskey on the other. Yet myself not only an alcoholic who drank in like manor, but a heavy-duty drug addict to boot, sits typing this message today — why? — I have no idea, but am EXTREMELY grateful!
What do you do to maintain your recovery, and how do you keep yourself from becoming complacent in having “another day Clean –n– Sober”?
Thanks for letting me share!
