Sharing and Caring

[MajestyJo]

Too sore and tired to check to see if this has already been shared, so going to share it any way. Originally posted on Recovery Inn

You have heard me say many times about the twelve-step programs and dealing with addiction. Some people think that they don't have an addiction to a substance. Does it matter? Do I still need to complete a 12-step program?

The 12 Steps are a way of life. They were a healing process that help me to deal with all areas of my life. The drug is but a symptom of my disease. The problem was always me and my perception and my feelings about life.

Even if you have never used street or prescriptions drugs (my doctor was my dealer for year), or never drank alcohol or only had a few glasses of wine. Did you ever think of stopping those glasses of wine, and when you made the decision to quit, you couldn't or you got angry and resentful, telling yourself why should I? A friend of mine only smoked 3 cigarettes a day. To me that was nothing, when I was using, I smoked close to 3 packs a day. Yet she won't give up those 3 cigarettes, and the same happened with me, be it 3 or 3 packs, you are not willing to let go.

I had no desire to quit. I had to pray for the willingness to be willing to quit. You can't scare an alcoholic or an addict. I had to come to a spiritual decision. I can't do this any more, I can't do it on my own, I need help.

Even if you don't believe in God, religion, or yourself, the program will help you. I thought I knew who God was, by working the 12 Steps, I learned what my God meant to me, I had to make it a part of my spiritual journey in order to recover.

It no longer is about take, take, and what is in it for me. It is about sharing, caring, and giving to others, what has been given to me along my journey. A journey is another 24 hours, just for today, I choose not to use, no matter what.

Because I doubted my God, the group members where my Higher Power. A group of alcoholic and drug addicts, showing me a new way of life. It wasn't just what they said, it was more about what they didn't do. They didn't have to use in today.

I went to meetings for the Divine Orderly Good that I needed each day and as I listened and heard others share, I got the Good Orderly Direction I needed, to stay clean and sober, just for today.

I am a recovering alcoholic and addict. I qualify for just about any room in recovery you put me. When I learned to identify instead of compare, I could go to any meeting, whether I used that substance or not. I have never seen cocaine, crack, or meth, yet I went to a CA meeting and heard a girl share my story and she had one year clean.

The Serenity Prayer was a great gift in recovery.

God grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

I read yesterday, "We need that Serenity, first and fore most, and I could only find that through my God.

Thanks for letting me share.