Metaphors
For some it's the Super Bowl. For me, it was always Oscars night.
It's been 20 years now since I moved to the city where I live. I was glad to move here. Still am. But the earliest years were rough. I left behind friends; making new ones proved harder in this big city. Left behind was annual bash at a friend's home, one still going strong, where we gathered on Oscars night for a giddy evening of predictions scored, speeches reviewed and -- of course -- fashions scrutinized. I missed it. Missed them.
So I threw my own Oscars bash for a party of one. Hors d' oeuvres, scorecards and -- of course -- wine. I'd take copious notes to inform the yearly Oscars review I sent to friends. Apparently, I had a flair. My annual recap became a popular forum for debating who got robbed, whatever Nicole or Julia wore and whose speeches were gracious reflections or self-indulgent babble.
As years went on, Oscars night began to run parallel to my life. One bottle turned into two. The notes grew less copious. What *did* Kate wear? I'd have to rely on online photo galleries for my annual "best dressed" pics. There were a couple years, at least, I didn't make it to best picture, having fallen asleep somewhere around best cinematography or best documentary feature. Finally, the recap fell to the past; when friends asked for it, I simply responded that it had run its course. The truth -- of course -- was that I was too fuzzy on too much of the ceremony to construct either pithy or substantive observations.
If you're new to sobriety and recovery, chances are there's a similar occasion in your life that has become a metaphor for addiction. A ghostly reflection of something that once brought joy or meaning.
You're here. And this is a great place to start. You'll find support and good counsel. You'll find others seeking to regain what was good, what held meaning, everything from singular events to life writ large.
Life changes with sobriety. It hurts less. The clarity it brings delivers both challenge and accomplishment. If you're just starting your journey, know that you won't be the same person by the time the next Oscars or next Super Bowl roll around.
You'll be better.