RobC420

Yeah, I always just say "It's their journey" to myself. I needed to quit and use, quit and use, quit and use on and on in order to really hit bottom and become willing to do anything to change. I'm really glad I finally did and I figure those people will as well. It's their journey.

ReadyAndAble

I have several friends, offline and online, who have returned to drinking. Some worry me more than others. A few are in a very dark place right now. I'm grateful for those that stay in touch; it's so much worse when people say they're having trouble and then disappear. I'm sure we've all known folks who were gone for months and then reemerged, beaten down by their addiction, saying they stayed away from SR because they felt like they'd disappointed people here. It's one of the tragic illusions of addictions—seeing reasons to draw inward at precisely the time we most need to reach out.

On the flip side, it's really inspiring to see more people arriving on this thread! Welcome aboard, Tando and Geralt!! I remember when I first arrived at SR, lurking in the background, I took a lot of heart in seeing people celebrate milestones. Forget a year—30 days seemed Herculean!

Frances, maybe that's one way you're helping your friends without realizing it. By staying true to yourself—and showing a lot of courage in meeting life's latest challenges—you're providing a powerful example of what the future can hold. We can't control when others will reach their goal, but we can serve as proof that it's attainable.

Manz

Frances....what everyone has said before me probably means that I need not say anything, but I'll throw my 2 cents in anyway.

What I do every working day with those that I serve as a peer support specialist is act as a living example that recovery is possible. I share what has worked for me, validate what my peers are going through, show empathy and most of all share my HOPE and belief that they too can find a recovery that works for them. I am bit of a "fixer" and would likke to "do" for people but I recognise that each persons recovery is their own and they must walk their own path. I will and am however there walking right beisde them.

In a personal context though it can be difficult to seperate from the feelings of sadness when someone we have come to care for has a speed bump in their recovery....but I am glad I feel sad now, I am human and feel and for once am learning that its ok.

Keep doing what you are doing Frances.... your path and journey may well be the inspiration that someone needs one day!


I got a new work car yesterday and felt really unsafe in it, the steering felt weird, was a funny noise near the brakes and it floated all over the road. Dropped it in to the mechanic......it needs both front shocks, both front brakes and something in the steering replaced and a full service! It has had a hammering by a colleague who is no longer with us!! Glad I got it looked at.
Funny though.... it had to stay in overnight and I forgot to take my garage door opener and only realised when I got home!!!!!!!!!!!!! Locked out!!! In the past this would have ruined my evening. Not now

Happy Tuesday when you get to it Overs!

instant

I am grateful for every day sober. I know we may all be at risk of slipping back into old habits and it spiralling out of control.

Thank you all for being here. Having the connection to SR means a lot to me.

It is a great measure of my progress that I was 17 months and one day sober before I realised I had passed my month mark, and even then didn't know if it was 16 or 17. I periodically 'come to' and wonder how long it is since I thought about alcohol or the inverse 'my recovery situation'. I think back to a time, even when sober for a while where my first thoughts waking up where about alcohol and the various associated issues.

frances2011

Thanks friends, your ESH is so appreciated. I'm taking all your thoughts to heart.

Worked hard yesterday at my desk, and kept my commitments. Woot!

newby1961

Morning Overs,

Welcome Tando & Geralt the more the merrier.

I see people go back out a lot in my neck of the woods and I was one of those people back awhile ago now. I think everyone has a journey and I have no clue who will go down the sobriety path or who will return to using? I guess if I knew that I would be God now wouldn't I?

I had a valuable lesson back a few years ago when my sponsor relapsed. It taught me a great deal about putting members up on pedestals and thinking they were immune from relapse. It was a very sad and dark part of my sobriety and it took me awhile to get over. It also taught me the true meaning of living ODAAT. And to never say never cause after all we are only human.

Have a great day all.

lyddie

So very true and very well said. Thank you. I too worry about the people who disappear from here. And I often wonder what happened to all the people who were posting the first two years I was here when I was mostly lurking because I was just too embarrassed to post yet another Day One message. When you are stuck in the bottle, it is hard to see beyond the boundaries of the bottle you are drowning in.

pipparina

Good morning Overs-
Yeah, watching someone go back out is tough. I've been lucky that the group I got sober with, for the most part, is still sober. But I've heard the stories. Terrifying

Off for a few days of R&R. Staying at a B&B along the Delaware river. Should be able to get some nice trail runs in. Can't wait to get out of this city. There are just too many darn people living here.

Manz

Humbled today..... getting food parcels and battling bureacracy for clients. Some journeys truly are harder than others.

Weeman came home tonight.....he lights my life up!

newby1961

Evening Overs,

Pip sounds like a lot of fun. Have a great time and can't wait to hear about your journey when you get back.

Yay wee-man..

Lyddie what a great way to put it "stuck in a bottle." That is exactly what happens and it reminds me of a picture in one of my f2f AA meetings. It is of a rather big alcohol bottle with a man sitting inside the bottle drunk drinking from a bottle. Its really trippy when you look at it for any extended period of time. I wish I was artistic so I could draw it and hang it in my house as a reminder.

Night Night all..

frances2011

Morning Overs!

First day in a few that I don't have a pressing work deadline. That makes I can take a big picture view of what else needs to be done this week to move things forward proactively.

I'm going camping this weekend. It's going to be relaxed and fun.

Negotiating who goes where for the holidays has been a significant hurdle/roadblock for me each year. Lots of backstory. Lots of holiday baggage, LOTS of energy wasted. Looks like I've lined things up for Thanksgiving & Christmas in ways that will work OK. Thank you Recovery.

Glad your wee man is home for hugs and kisses Manz!

RobC420

When I first joined a program of recovery I guess I just assumed that everyone who was there was always gunna have more sobriety than me. Just like how my brother was always 2 years older than me growing up. When I first saw someone who was there when I showed get a 24 hr chip it was surprising. I certainly didn't see it coming.

newby1961

Evening Overs,

I had a really hard time tonight. I got a call from my sister who has cancer as some of you know. She had just come from the ER cause she was having some sort of back issue and has been dealing with it for several days now. She said the pain got so bad she just had to go. Now the thin is I believe her because I have never known her to be into narcotics vodka yeah but not those. So anyway she was so loaded and I listened to her for about 20 minutes or so and I just couldn't take it anymore. She was slurring her words, telling me over and over and over how much dope they had given her. After 20 minutes I said that we needed to stop talking about it because my addict was starting to get into it a little to much. Then another 10 minutes of how sorry she was. The thing is is she has Cancer and she doesn't really have a whole lot of people she confides in so I want to be there for her but not at the risk of glorifying using. So then I spent awhile beating myself up for not being strong enough to be able to support her. I don't know already vented about this once but I guess I needed to do it again cause it is still eating my lunch as the saying goes.
Thats it for me next case.
PS hey Frances have fun camping I love going but have not been in awhile. Watch out for the bears? Lol

instant

Newby- you can only do what you can do- and clearly you care and try your best

Dee74

If it reminds you of your old days that much I can see how that must be hard for you Newby.

Maybe if she didn't get it this phone call, you can talk to her later and explain your difficulties.

I think Instants right - all any of us can do is our best

D

Rossy

490 days now,this is too easy.

Rusty Zipper

hey newb, mebe suggest to sis it might be time to find a good cancer support group

i have a sponcee that has cancer, and he has two or three support groups

lyddie

Hey Newby - (( HUGS )) Rusty's suggestion sounds good - is there a cancer support group available to help both of you?

frances2011

Hugs of support to you Newby, that sounds really hard. Glad you can share so we can support you.

Good day here....good run this morning, good breakfast, now for a good work day.

newby1961

RZ ah great minds think alike. I have suggested it over & over to no avail although she is going to one group oh wait no I think it was yesterday? Anyway it was a group on how to apply make up and she was only going cause they were giving her a free make up kit. Go figure lol. When I asked her why she wouldn't check out a support group she said, "I don't want to sit around looking at a bunch of sick cancer patients." Kinda what I though prior to AA lol.
BTW what happened to out laughing smiley I miss him or her..