Redmayne

For me, recovery should be worn like a loose fitting garment. You have to wear it with enough room to be flexible to what other people offer... i.e. for whatever is said about the Fellowship of A.A., it acts as ac support organisation for 'problem drinkers'. The key to recovery is to be found in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous'.

Evidenced in the fact that in the US,a high percentage of rehabilitation and detox programmes model their programmes of recovery on the suggested 12 Step program of recovery...but hey! what do I know, I'm an 'alkie' so everything I say could be wrong.

August252015

Agreed. Love the 'loose fitting garment' analogy. This is perfect to describe how I feel: safe and secure in the knowledge that my problem [alcoholism] has been removed based on daily application of the tools [clothes in this example] I choose to "wear."

My sponsor is my sponsor because of one major thing: I had heard her describe her view of recovery as living your best life, with the tools of the steps and the fellowship to get and keep you there. That's what I want- and have found.

I believe in "the art of the law" in general/life - rules are not black and white, compassion is necessary at times as is strict application of rules, and so on- this makes sense to me as my way of living the steps, and dwelling in 1, 10 and 12 as I go about my days.

Redmayne

An excellent, articulate response, from which we can all learn, 'life is a classroom' right! Recovery is the best lesson of all!

As my hero Marcus Aurelius said,' Waste no time arguing what a good man is, be a good man! or woman as the case may be... the Stoic philosophers made no distinction, regardless of class, race, gender, age or (dis)abilty...neither does alcohol or recovery.

Carpathia

And the big book is full of subtlety. That's why there are big book meetings and big book step studies; insight is always being revealed.

When I was newly sober, I heard other alcoholics say each time they read the big book, new ideas came to them.

Now I understand it's true. It depends where you are in trudging that happy road of destiny.

For instance, it suddenly dawned on me at (almost) three.five years sober that the essence of recovery is contained in Bill W's reaching out to Dr. Bob that fateful night.

What does that mean for me? It means I get off my butt and reach out to the still sick and suffering. Easier said than done!

All my fears, and my laziness must be put aside. That's why I particularly like your Marcus Aurelius' quote for today. It reminds me we must be good men and women, and not merely think and speak of being such.

Redmayne

Excellent! Thank you, you have articulated the very essence of recovery, helping others to help ourselves...in a lovely way...that'll have me thinking, which for a 'numbnuts' like me, is always good