Unfortunately, I am counting days to complete my undertaking of writing for 365 days, with two left, and for a fleeting moment, I imagined sitting out on the patio with my sweetie and sipping a margarita in a blue-stem glass.

Here is a promising awakening once an alcoholic is always an alcoholic.

I am in the passenger’s seat writing this reflection, and I admit I am the most relaxed I have been in a while. I have to watch for comfort and discomfort. After all, my mind wants to tell me that I need to be in the spirit of a holiday because I got my vaccine, and I want to roll like I missed an entire year of comingling with others as I did.

Although life happens, and no matter where I roam, I am there; this lady loves to party and finds reasons to celebrate or perhaps to blame others. I am thankful that I know this about me because otherwise, I can forget and fall into the trap of having reasons to drink, especially when I listen to oldies, but goodies, like I am doing now.

The reading speaks about some of those things that I have to watch out for, like dishonesty, materialistic focus on worldly things, and self-centeredness. What better way than to sneak while on travel and whip up a few, and nobody will know, but my system, because the phenomenon of craving will return. I know that I would not be able to halt, and before long, I will be six feet under because my story has ended that way before, but I was electrically shocked. I know I have no more chances, so thank goodness I came into recovery and chose to work a program. If I lose focus of who I am, my body knows and will return to where I left off, and away we go with no room to spare.

To emphasize some of the reading keywords like unconditional love is what I strive to accomplish. I don’t have to finagle anyone or anything. I can live life on life’s terms, one-day-at-a-time. I have joy in my life because I am sober, and when challenged with patience while in others’ spaces, I consider it a win because I am still sober at the moment. There is no perfect world. I plan to show kindness to my fellows despite some that can be perplexing, but there’s a purpose for the connections when I look for it. I want to have faithfulness and self-control, not to judge. When I choose to humble myself and have some humility, knowing that I am no less and no better than the next, but on a level playing field, then it’s my responsibility to do the best that I can with what I have.

Spiritual progress, not spiritual perfection, is the key. My spirit delights in how I change and how I see people worldwide from a different lens. This awareness in itself is a beautiful thing, and although this consciousness might be fleeting, it happens because of the change in my attitude towards me and others. As I keep practicing the program’s principles, my desire to abuse myself doesn’t linger long and usually passes. All I have to remember is don’t drink and don’t use drugs, and the changes will continue to happen, and I consider that a world worth living in the spirit.

Peace and love. Feel free to share. To unsubscribe, say so. The reading is attached.

Author, Lynda M.