Redmayne

The late and highly respected, Joe McQuany, who together with Charlie Parmly is perhaps best known for his 'Big Book Study Meetings, held worldwide over a number of years, helping a not inconsiderable number of people to recover said,

"The greatest gift in life may not be life itself but the knowledge of how to live life itself."

Which for me, in recovery applying the words ,'the knowledge of how to live life itself', means the sheer joy of living, no longer constrained by the self destructive effects of alcohol, or as the case may be drugs or both?

Obviously, given we all have our various responsibilities and commitments, etc. 'the sheer joy of living' is like sobriety itself, an individual responsibility and will mean different things to different people. Whilst at the same time providing, in turn, for each of us, the wonder and excitement in our individual journeys of recovery, with each of us, at our own pace, perhaps gaining some perspective on life that used to baffle us in our drinking days.

Neither do I personally claim perfection in this, likening myself somewhat to the subtitle of Soko Morinaga's book,'Novice to Master - An Ongoing Lesson in the Extent of My Own Stupidity'...nor do I claim or have any desire , in recovery to become one of those who so often are seen in society these days. Particularly in the 'meeja' (media) who knows all the answers and none of the questions!

It's having the ability, in recovery to be at least able to know some of the questions, that adds to and strengthens my recovery, often leading to other questions, which taken overall, marks my progress in recovery.

And adds to the credibility, I'd suggest , for anyone, especially those in recovery of Joe's statement, in what I in the answer, at least in whole or part, to the question,'What is recovery?'... the sheer joy of living.

Carpathia

I appreciate the sentiment. In some meeting rooms, people say, "keep it simple, stupid." That's where joy lies, but alcoholics are complicated people. There's a challenge for us understanding how to live life itself. Asking questions is not something I particularly cared to do. I liked making assumptions based on past experience...not the best way forward in a sober, recovered life by any means.

Redmayne

Nothing wrong with a life, especially in recovery, built on self reliance and experience....

As the Buddhist suggest,

1. You should always rely on yourself.

2. Anything that contradicts logic (found in self reliance) and experience should be abandoned.

Reinforced by Sun Tzu in his book 'The Art of War', which is about life itself really,'You must control events otherwise events will control you.'

Thanks for your contribution, very nice...