Losing a job. A flat tire. Arguing with my wife. No matter what it was, it was an excuse for me to pick up the bottle or the spoon. And I'd be off and running again.
But when I got sober 31 plus years ago all of that changed. It didn't change immediately. But it began to change when I incorporated the "one day at a time" philosophy of the 12-step programs into my life. When I began to look at life from a 24-hour perspective it changed things for me.l Instead of being on the hunt 24 hours a day for drugs or alcohol, I was living my life in manageable slices.
And when I started living within those little slices of time my focus narrowed and I was able to see what was right in front of me. And not always looking into the future or lamenting the past. I was able to focus on the moment and notice that life was full of little surprises, changes, and twists and turns. And whether or not I liked those changes, they were part of reality, of the tapestry of my existence.
And when I began looking at life's changes from that perspective things became much smoother. When I didn't like whatever change came into my life I was able to talk to myself and accept that part of existence is welcoming change because maybe hidden in that change was a new opportunity or challenge.
It used to be that we all got excited when we lost an employee, or a vehicle broke down. But I came to learn that we always found another person to work for us. And somehow we'd find a way to finance a vehicle. Things always worked out for us, one way or the other.
Today I look at life as being perfect just as it is - it's as it's supposed to be. And I should simply be happy that I'm here to experience it.
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