Daily Missives

Yesterday I learned of the passing of our friend Attila M. He was 56 years old. It was unexpected, at least by me. He was a very likable guy with a big heart. He was passionate about his recovery. We traveled the same path for over a quarter century. In my estimation, he was too

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When I finally came to the realization that I’m not alone, it gave me hope. I found people meeting in church basements. They described how they felt. They felt like I did. When they described their journey and how they saved their own lives, I wanted what they have. Being willing to save my own

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When I was younger, time couldn’t pass fast enough. I was always looking forward, impatiently. As I get older, time seems to pass too fast. I no longer have “all the time in the world”. I have more days behind me than I have ahead of me. That makes me appreciate each day a little

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My greatest weakness has brought me to my greatest strength. When it comes to substance abuse, I am weak. Once I start using I cannot stop. I can’t help it. Once I was given a reprieve and a way to live without the substances, I found that I needed to rely upon God. Reliance upon

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Being sober has become a condition of my happiness – not the other way around. Being happy is not a condition of my sobriety. If it was, then I would drink over every bump in the road. Being sober is certainly a condition of my happiness. My life sucks when I drink. When I decide

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Often I think I’m doing the best I can. In reality, it’s often an excuse to not do more. There are always opportunities to help someone else. It usually doesn’t require heavy lifting. It usually requires only a little attention. Reaching out to another person to let them know I care may be the difference

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Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for all of the Blessings in my life today. It would take a long time for me to write a “Gratitude List” because of the many Blessings in my life. I’m grateful for the struggles because they make me humble and appreciate what I have. I’m grateful for the people

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The desire to drink has been lifted from me. That overwhelming obsession has not returned. It’s not a struggle anymore. For me, picking up a drink to solve a problem is like using gasoline to put out a fire. But that’s rational thinking. My alcoholism isn’t an intellectual problem. My alcoholism is a spiritual problem

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Isolating myself from others keeps me away from God. Connecting with others gets me closer to God. I think that’s a pretty good barometer of where I am spiritually. I can pray all day and never hear God’s message if I don’t avail myself to it. I need to remember that God speaks to me

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When I finally stopped drinking, I was scared to death. I was afraid that I could not live without alcohol in my life. I was afraid that I would drink again and bring back the misery that came with it. I was afraid because I didn’t know what was going to happen to me. I

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