August 23

Man! I wouldn't need a job if I had a nickel for every time I was told that I would end up in jail, dead, or in an institution. From day one, as far back as I can remember, I was told that I was a “piece of shit” and that my life would amount to nothing. My parents, brother, sister, stepfathers, teachers, and the like said these words to me. As a result, I was at constant odds with everyone around me before I found sobriety. It wasn’t easy to defy the narrative that was fed to me in those early years. I had all the excuses to lie down and drink/drug myself to death, but I didn’t do that. Instead, I found that by trying to connect and risking to love others, I found a way other than alcohol and drugs that finally worked for me. I am grateful that I discovered alcohol and drugs in those early years because it allowed me the time between then and now to find recovery. I may not be a “grateful addict/alcoholic,” as they say in the rooms, but I am sure grateful to have found a solution to being one.

Reflections

Are you grateful for being an alcoholic/addict?

Daily Challenge

What can you do to show gratitude for being in recovery?