I have no fear. People with guns aren't looking for me any more. Not the police. Not the drug dealers who wanted me to pay them back.
I look around the bedroom and see the 5:15 light filtering through the blinds. I'm in the same home I've been in since 2001. It's a decent neighborhood with a low crime rate.
There are decisions to make: should I go down to the pool and swim for a while? Or instead use my home gym? I opt for the pool because it's a nice way to start an Arizona summer day.
I swim lazily on my back for a while, looking at the clouds, seeing the jets fly silently overhead as they leave Sky Harbor Airport. The neighborhood's still quiet, so it's a time to meditate and reflect.
My reflection is upon the many blessings I have in my life. I have a beautiful and loving wife. An extended family and a new grandson. I have many friends and associates. At 76 I'm still able to show up at the office and take care of our businesses. I enjoy four or five vacations a year. The list is long.
I never forget why I have the life I have. It's because almost 25 years I put down the bottle and the spoon. I surrendered. My way wasn't working any longer.
So I recommend recovery to anyone who wants a better life.
