THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 7/29/09

Subject: THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 7/29/09 Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:32 pm

I know that there in no place in N.A. for methadone usage (which PERSONALLY I think is a shame) but there are still some really good points and inspirations in the N.A. book that I think apply to ALL recovering addicts.

Accepting Life As It Is

"In our recovery, we find it essential to accept reality. Once we can do this, we do not find it necessary to use drugs in an attempt to change our perceptions."
N.A. Basic Text, p. 87

Drugs used to buffer us from the full force of life. When we stop using drugs and enter recovery, we find ourselves confronted directly with life. We may experience disappointment, frustration, or anger. Events may not happen the way we want them to. The self-centeredness we cultivated in our addiction has distorted our perceptions of life; it is difficult to let go of our expectations and accept life as it is.

This is so true! How many times did I use drugs to keep from having to feel those uncomfortable or hurtful feelings? So many times, those pain killers not only killed my physical pain but my EMOTIONAL pain as well! It was the only way I could "deal" with the daily stresses of life. Looking back on it now with a sober mind, I can see how selfish and destructive that way of life is.

We learn to accept our lives by working through our addicton. We discover how to change our attitudes and let go of character defects. We no longer need to distort the truth or to run from situations. The more we practice the spiritual principles contained in the steps of recovery, the easier it becomes to accept life exactly as it comes to us.

True happiness and recovery can only come when we accept these things for what they are! It is normal and healthy to feel emotions, even painful ones and "working through" those emotions are the only way we can honestly get over them. When we finally accept this truth and stop trying to fight it or hide it (from ourselves!!!) is when we can honestly start to recover.

The serenity prayer sounds like a cheesy platitude that people overuse, but in this situation, it is SO true! Change the things you have control over, accept the things you have no control over and CAN NOT change and have the widsom to know the difference between the ones you can change and the ones you can't and let the ones you can't change GO!

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