Once again I see our disease at work.

Recently, someone close to me relapsed after six years of recovery that included a lot of half measures. While this person did the first step, that was about it. And the interesting thing is - when it came time to share at a meeting - he knew everything about recovery. He would eloquently tell others how to stay sober. He had a spiritual solution to every recovery issue.

However, his personal and business life didn't show the fruits of recovery. It seemed he was always having problems in his relationship. He was having trouble with his business and customers. He never seemed happy, regardless of the situation. And while I can't tell someone else how to stay sober, my experience tells me that when someone is working a program things started getting better. Whenever I would talk to this person he had drama in his life. His wife was a bitch. She was always ragging on him. His employer was a cheapskate. There was always something in his life that didn't work. It usually was something external – it seemed to have nothing to do with him.

My experience, as I grow in recovery is that life gets better as time passes. Sure I have my down days and down times. Things don't always go my way. But like a rising stock market chart with its jagged ups and downs life gets better over a period of time - if I'm working a program.

However, I also know life teaches us lessons. This person is no exception. Eventually life will show him what works