The test
Cause no harm
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Missouri
Posts: 596
The test
During a New Year's eve party i attended the night before last, i mingled among guests that were in various degrees of intoxication. To my delight, i had absolutely no desire to join them. I interacted with everyone, caught up with their lives, listened to news stories and jokes. All was very enjoyable. I felt no aversion to their choice to drink, nor did I i feel any elitist status for being the only non-drinker at the occasion. I was simply there and enjoying my friends. But as I stood drinking a small glass of pomegranate juice and feeling quite content, I reflected upon how easy it was not drinking. I have to admit, I was feeling a bit proud of myself for my few weeks of sobriety. 2015 definately is off to a good start.
But yesterday, as I reviewed my evening before and again marveled art the ease of abstinence, a thought entered my mind. The party was like being on a lake in a rowboat on a calm, windless day. The oars take no effort to move the boat on the smooth surface of the water. That is no test, no contest. But when the calm, stillness is evaporated by the sudden occurrence of a violent storm, the waters churn and boil, putting navigation of the craft in peril. When life throws you a curve you're not expecting is the true test. You lose your job. A sudden financial collapse. Whatever crushing blow life can deliver will be the probation of my resolve.
That is yet to come.
But yesterday, as I reviewed my evening before and again marveled art the ease of abstinence, a thought entered my mind. The party was like being on a lake in a rowboat on a calm, windless day. The oars take no effort to move the boat on the smooth surface of the water. That is no test, no contest. But when the calm, stillness is evaporated by the sudden occurrence of a violent storm, the waters churn and boil, putting navigation of the craft in peril. When life throws you a curve you're not expecting is the true test. You lose your job. A sudden financial collapse. Whatever crushing blow life can deliver will be the probation of my resolve.
That is yet to come.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,855
I agree, creekryder.
Life can throw some very difficult challenges our way and sometimes at lightning speed. So much of recovery is learning and building new healthy coping skills and putting them in to practice time and time again so that when the earth truly shakes and rumbles beneath our feet, we can reach out for those coping skills and hold onto them for dear life.
Life can throw some very difficult challenges our way and sometimes at lightning speed. So much of recovery is learning and building new healthy coping skills and putting them in to practice time and time again so that when the earth truly shakes and rumbles beneath our feet, we can reach out for those coping skills and hold onto them for dear life.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,373
You can be ready for those storms tho Creekryder.
Use your support and make plans for how you might react if or when bad things happen
be vigilant...but also be a little proud at your great start to the year
D
Use your support and make plans for how you might react if or when bad things happen
be vigilant...but also be a little proud at your great start to the year
D
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 452
I just realize that hiding in a bottle is only going to make it worse. You have the original situation to deal with, then the defeat of knowing you caved to alcohol. That is too much for me to bear, hence my continued sobriety.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
