michaelg

When I worked in the hospitality industry, I had occasion to go open up a new hotel on Kauai, Hawaii. A staggeringly beautiful place. I worked for about a week and a half and then took three days there for vacation. The first night, I was exhausted and went to the hotels restaurant to get something to eat and a beer. At some point in my meal, the lights went down and music started blaring. The restaurant doubled as a night club. I found myself ordering a Scotch. And then another. And another. Until I woke the next morning in my room not knowing how in the world I got there.

The following day I was so sick, and embarrassed, I couldn't even venture out of the room. Except to go to the hotel store and buy a six pack of beer to quiet my mind and nerves. A whole day in paradise completely wasted. Spent with my mind scrambling for lost details of the prior evening. Wondering if the hotel had alerted my management who would finally decide to relieve my of my job. The third and final day of my vacation part of the trip I rented a car and decided to finally see the sights. I drove almost the entire island, stopping at all the big attractions. Waimea Canyon and Kawaikiki Peak being the most notable. At every stop I rushed out of the car, snapped a bunch of photos, then rushed off to the next location in an attempt to make up for lost time. While at Kawaikiki Peak, snapping photos to look at later when I felt better and had more time, I heard a guy who had been looking I my direction comment to his friend "why do people come here and get so wrapped up in taking pictures? Instead of experiencing this?" Even in the depths of the disease, I knew what he said rang true. But I was at that moment incapable of just being. Paradise lost.

There are many great examples of the beauty of our program around me. Rather than marvel at this second hand account, I want to experience it first hand. I want to be one of those examples. And all that is required is jumping in with both feet, getting a sponsor, honestly working the steps, having a spiritual awakening as the result, and passing it on. Paradise found.

Boleo

"The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it."
(page 83)

Fly N Buy

Thanks Michael - nice post!

And the true revelation, the true glory I think for many of us - is the discovery of the moment in the simplest of interactions of life.

What was mundane now becomes momentous, daily!! The beauty and grace of just now............

dsmaxis10

I'm going to Hawaii with my sisters family of eight and my parents in June. I don't plan on taking a sip of alcohol. Which will be a lot easier cause were staying in a condo and none of my family drink. I'm excited as I've never been on the west coast and now I'm going all the way to Hawaii. Day 19 and feeling awesome !!!

michaelg

And you'll be able to appreciate all the beauty there. One thing is for sure. When I take a drink, everything else in my life goes to shite.