Long walk to freedom*
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 598
Long walk to freedom*
I have been contemplating the similarities between a recovering addict and a newly released convict. Like the convict the addict spent years in prison, in many cases purely due to their own actions.
On release from prison I would imagine that life for an ex-convict is no bed of roses. It is difficult to get work, to get people to trust you, to fit into normal society. Just so for the recovering addict.
I also see the value of parole. One contravention and one is back in prison. For the alcoholic that normally is that one drink that they thought they may get away with. For the recovering alcoholic though, parole is for the rest of their lives.
I know some recovering addicts have found profound happiness in sobriety. Whether you do or don’t, the only other option is back to prison and worse.
It helps me to not look for a lot at this stage of my recovery. Perhaps I will never look for more. It is enough to know that I am out of prison. Also, like with newly released convicts I realise that the hard work actually starts now. Getting out of prison was comparitively easy compared to staying out. I also believe that one would only successfully stay out if a fair, even if moderate amount of meaning is to be found in day to day living.
That is the goal. It’s hard but it is doable as so many people on this forum have shown.
*The title of the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
On release from prison I would imagine that life for an ex-convict is no bed of roses. It is difficult to get work, to get people to trust you, to fit into normal society. Just so for the recovering addict.
I also see the value of parole. One contravention and one is back in prison. For the alcoholic that normally is that one drink that they thought they may get away with. For the recovering alcoholic though, parole is for the rest of their lives.
I know some recovering addicts have found profound happiness in sobriety. Whether you do or don’t, the only other option is back to prison and worse.
It helps me to not look for a lot at this stage of my recovery. Perhaps I will never look for more. It is enough to know that I am out of prison. Also, like with newly released convicts I realise that the hard work actually starts now. Getting out of prison was comparitively easy compared to staying out. I also believe that one would only successfully stay out if a fair, even if moderate amount of meaning is to be found in day to day living.
That is the goal. It’s hard but it is doable as so many people on this forum have shown.
*The title of the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
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Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 405
I have found profound happiness. I wish it would not have taken 40 years but hey I'm not complaining 
When I first started going to AA meetings I thought the rooms were full of con artists BSing themselves and newcomers so they would feel good about not drinking. Transformations? Miracles? Higher power? Get the hell out of here with all that nonsense. Just teach me to pretend to be happy and not have cravings and we're all good.
It took a bit of time but I did find happiness. I wasn't even expecting it, just continued to work on improving myself and it kind of crept up on me. One day I was contemplating this feeling I had inside, analyzing it...is this what happiness feels like? Now I know what it means when people say happiness comes from within, before I thought it was some lame circlejerk empty platitude.
It happened for me and I wasn't even anticipating it. I am confident it will happen for you as well.
When I first started going to AA meetings I thought the rooms were full of con artists BSing themselves and newcomers so they would feel good about not drinking. Transformations? Miracles? Higher power? Get the hell out of here with all that nonsense. Just teach me to pretend to be happy and not have cravings and we're all good.
It took a bit of time but I did find happiness. I wasn't even expecting it, just continued to work on improving myself and it kind of crept up on me. One day I was contemplating this feeling I had inside, analyzing it...is this what happiness feels like? Now I know what it means when people say happiness comes from within, before I thought it was some lame circlejerk empty platitude.
It happened for me and I wasn't even anticipating it. I am confident it will happen for you as well.
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Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,409
The joy of being recovered from the hopeless state of body and mind of alcoholism is something which you only can know once you get it. Needless to say a life in recovery is more incredible than you can conceive of. It’s like drugs and booze; you can’t imagine what it’s like till you experience it.
Just be safe in the knowledge that the best is always yet to come if you work for it 🙏
Just be safe in the knowledge that the best is always yet to come if you work for it 🙏
Giving up is NOT an option.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 7,809
I also believe that one would only successfully stay out if a fair, even if moderate amount of meaning is to be found in day to day living.
I think that's the key right there. I'm not looking for straight-out joy all the time or anything. I'm not even looking for or expecting to be in a great mood every day, or even a good one. But going through life and finding small things to be grateful for, realizing that the seemingly mundane of day-to-day living is really just fine and pretty satisfying (because there's no chaos) - that's realistic for me. And much to my surprise, that translates to peace and serenity most of the time, and, dare I say it, something I think might even be happiness. I know I feel joyful a heck of a lot more often than I used to. Sometimes it's so potent that it's a little overwhelming and I have been known to tear up. That's pretty cool when it happens.
I think that's the key right there. I'm not looking for straight-out joy all the time or anything. I'm not even looking for or expecting to be in a great mood every day, or even a good one. But going through life and finding small things to be grateful for, realizing that the seemingly mundane of day-to-day living is really just fine and pretty satisfying (because there's no chaos) - that's realistic for me. And much to my surprise, that translates to peace and serenity most of the time, and, dare I say it, something I think might even be happiness. I know I feel joyful a heck of a lot more often than I used to. Sometimes it's so potent that it's a little overwhelming and I have been known to tear up. That's pretty cool when it happens.
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