choublak

In the context of AA.

digdug

Remembering what it was like that day you walked through those doors. The struggle of accepting that we are powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable. The pain of detox. The shame and guilt of the things we did while intoxicated.

I'm not saying to live in the past or anything. But we can so easily forget how bad it really was as we accumulate more sober time. This leads to ideas that we are "cured" and may be able to drink again with some form of moderation. But for the alcoholic, this is impossible. The line has already been crossed.

So we try to keep in green. Personally, I try to go to a beginner's meeting every week. I talk to newcomers. I speak at rehabs. While I strive to move forward by working and living the 12 steps, I never want to forget how it used to be, what happened to bring me in the rooms, and those first few months of sobriety.

Ruby2

Thanks digdug for the explanation. I've been around AA for seemingly forever and had never heard that expression.

PhaseTwo

I don't go to AA but I do think "keeping it green" is very important. Crazy how the memory of just how bad it was fades and you take for granted your new everyday normalcy.

FourSeasons

This is exactly why my signature line is what it is!! It is sooooooo easy to forget!!!

Music

I was always told to "stay green and grow". The best way I can explain it is that when a plant is healthy, blooming and flourishing, it's green and growing. When it starts to die, it gets brown, wilted, dry and then gets dead.