I have been clean for:
I Stand With Ukraine

Welcome

Journal

Some memes

Feel Free to steal and repost these memes!

Surrender meme Work the steps meme

$ recovery is a gift, $

Posted: Mon, Sep 22, 2014 07:52:44 AM

and i want to keep it.
i hate automobile analogies, nuff said time to move on.
what i do like about this reading, or perhaps more accurately put, the part of this reading that caused a favorable emotional response from within me, was the part about recovery is a gift that comes with two very important strings:
  1. routine maintenance is required.
  2. i have to give it away, in order to keep it.
understanding those two concepts was very difficult for me, for at least the first thirteen months of my abstinence and my entrance into the personal experience of accepting some responsibility for my recovery. when i look back at seventeen years ago, and realize where i was at this time, it is utterly amazing that i am still here. i am certain, that those who judge, and there were some back in those days, as well as some in the here and now, were quite certain that i would not last in recovery. i had all the symptoms of active addiction, and none of active recovery. i had NO desire to stay clean, no WILLINGNESS to do what it would take to stay clean, and absolutely NO HUMILITY OR HONESTY about what and who i thought i was. i was marking time, until my probation alarm went off, and i was allowed to return to a life i thought was DA BOMB. and yet, here i sit, musing about the gift of recovery and actually quite grateful that something clicked before the minimal amount of grace i brought with me into recovery was exhausted.
so today, well today i do appreciate the gift that keeps on giving, strings and all. i woke up this morning and once again made the decision not to use, just for today, and for me that means i have to take action. part of that action is seeking out places to gift my gift away, be that to another suffering addict, through direct interaction; or society in general, by not abusing the resources it offers, as i did as in active addiction. oh yeah and giving my employer their full eight hours worth of my best effort. life is good toady and i am running late so, ciao for now.

∞ DT ∞


Another Look

This day in older entries

๐Ÿค— empathy means ๐Ÿค—
552 words ➥ Tuesday, September 22, 2026 by donnot
๐Ÿšซ i rejected ๐Ÿšซ
384 words ➥ Monday, September 22, 2025 by donnot
๐Ÿ’ซ removing my mask, ๐Ÿ’ซ
307 words ➥ Sunday, September 22, 2024 by donnot
๐Ÿ’ฏ the value ๐Ÿ’ฏ
595 words ➥ Friday, September 22, 2023 by donnot
๐Ÿ’ช routine ๐Ÿ”ง
507 words ➥ Thursday, September 22, 2022 by donnot
๐Ÿ– great lengths ๐Ÿ–‘
441 words ➥ Wednesday, September 22, 2021 by donnot
๐ŸŽ‚ the gift ๐ŸŽ
372 words ➥ Tuesday, September 22, 2020 by donnot
๐Ÿ˜ฑ what NO ๐Ÿค”
442 words ➥ Sunday, September 22, 2019 by donnot
๐Ÿ’ค the required maintenance ๐Ÿ’ฆ
505 words ➥ Saturday, September 22, 2018 by donnot
๐Ÿฉ a new meaning ๐Ÿฉ
734 words ➥ Friday, September 22, 2017 by donnot
โ‹‡ i have to care โ‹‡
649 words ➥ Thursday, September 22, 2016 by donnot
ยข keeping the gift ยข
236 words ➥ Tuesday, September 22, 2015 by donnot
โ€ก would i go to great lengths to maintain โ€ก
502 words ➥ Sunday, September 22, 2013 by donnot
+ in sharing my recovery with others ,
331 words ➥ Saturday, September 22, 2012 by donnot
โ€ฐ the gift of recovery is one that grows with the giving โ€ฐ
434 words ➥ Thursday, September 22, 2011 by donnot
โˆž my recovery is not a car โˆž
391 words ➥ Thursday, September 22, 2005 by donnot
cherishing my gift
315 words ➥ Wednesday, September 22, 2004 by donnot

Tao Te Ching

☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯

The Tao Teh King, or The Tao and Its Characteristics
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge

Book 1

3) A skilful (commander) strikes a decisive blow, and stops. He does
not dare (by continuing his operations) to assert and complete his
mastery. He will strike the blow, but will be on his guard against
being vain or boastful or arrogant in consequence of it. He strikes
it as a matter of necessity; he strikes it, but not from a wish for
mastery.