Even after being sober many years I get insights into how my life has changed.

Last week I started having problems with my swimming pool. First, because of an oversight on my part, I burned up the pool pump motor. The repair bill was $250. After the motor was replaced one of the plastic pipes connected to the motor sprung a leak. Another repair bill. After that repair the valve on top of the filter started leaking. I took it to the pool store to have it repaired. When I put it back on it leaked even worse. So I took it back to the pool store and asked them to repair it again. They did and I brought it back and installed it. It still leaked. I took it back once more because I found a minute crack in it which was the source of the leak. Finally, I was done with it.

I detail the problems with my pool to make a point. Twenty years ago if I'd have had the same kind of problems with anything, I'd have been drunk or high right away. My anger would have boiled over. I'd have been off to the liquor store or to the dope house. Before I left though, I would have taken a sledgehammer and demolished the pool pump. That's the way I dealt with life before I got sober. I would get angry or I would get drunk or high. Most likely it would be all three.

Because today my goal is to live in sobriety and serenity I try to enjoy the moment. I recently read somewhere that I should enjoy the pain and challenges in my life. When a challenge shows up I ask myself "what is the worst thing that can happen?" And normally the worst thing that can happen is that I won't resolve the problem. Today however, because I've been sober for so many years, I usually have the resources to resolve whatever problems show up.

It came out at a meeting this morning that one of the blessings in my life is that I even have a pool to repair. After all, when I got sober about 20 years ago, all I had to my name was seventy-three cents in the pocket of my raggedy jeans.