I remember the first birthday I celebrated in Recovery. I kinda walked around all day thinking to myself,"Well, how do 'normal' people celebrate?" For the past 32 years, my birthday gifts to myself or from others who I thought we my friends were drugs or alcohol. I thought my birthday was a good reason to go out, get rip roaring smashed, swallow this, snort that, drink this, smoke that . . . blah, blah blah . . . Of course, I thought the other 364 days of the year were for the same thing.

Enjoy your birthday. Enjoy the gifts that you have received in your Sobriety. I find myself on special occassions looking back to where I was the year before and how I have grown. I have 2 1/2 years now and it amazes me to look back and see that I am actually happier than I was the year before. Each Christmas morning, for example, I find myself experiencing the joy and magic I felt as a small child. Back then, it was the anticipation, the excitement of what Santa had brought me. Now, I appreciate the simple things. Just living on a daily basis is more of a celebration to me than all of those gifts that Santa left. The gifts I have been given from God, others in the Program and things I have worked for are far better than anything I could ever dream of.

My Birthday wish for you is quite simple, yet quite rewarding, I wish you, as the song says . . . and many more.

God Bless,
Judy