And I liked the topic because it caused me to reflect on how I finally finally reached a state of open-mindedness and got into recovery.
It was a long process. I didn't get sober until I was 51 years old. And I had to go through many levels of pain before I finally said "enough."
I lost homes. I went through divorces. I went to jail and prison multiple times. I spent a year in a mental hospital. I lost several high-paying jobs. But when I finally got done denying I had a problem I surrendered.
And I believe that's the same way it works for all of us who are real alcoholics or addicts. Most of those at meetings describe a fairly long period of trying different ways to drink or use drugs – without success. Their histories parallel mine.
And their recovery story is similar. They had a watershed experience where they realized they had enough. And perhaps someone suggested they go to a 12 step program and get into recovery. And that's when things began to change. The plot's always the same. Only the setting and the players are different.
And the open-mindedness I experienced when I first got into recovery has allowed me to change other areas of my life outside of recovery. Today I enjoy the success that eluded me through all my years of using.
I lost homes. I went through divorces. I went to jail and prison multiple times. I spent a year in a mental hospital. I lost several high-paying jobs. But when I finally got done denying I had a problem I surrendered.
And I believe that's the same way it works for all of us who are real alcoholics or addicts. Most of those at meetings describe a fairly long period of trying different ways to drink or use drugs – without success. Their histories parallel mine.
And their recovery story is similar. They had a watershed experience where they realized they had enough. And perhaps someone suggested they go to a 12 step program and get into recovery. And that's when things began to change. The plot's always the same. Only the setting and the players are different.
And the open-mindedness I experienced when I first got into recovery has allowed me to change other areas of my life outside of recovery. Today I enjoy the success that eluded me through all my years of using.
And I attribute it all to the fact that I was open-minded enough to listen to what someone else had to say - another addict at that.
