A Clear Head, Clarity, and Thankful Contemplation
Today I am grateful for the soothing color and glow of our Christmas tree lights, and for the opportunities to say thank you to others at work.
Sobriety starts with getting a clear head. No more drinking and no more hangovers. I had many tough hangovers physically. I would sometimes force myself out for a run to sweat out the residuals. I treated the physical symptoms as the price to pay for the escape and "freedom" I got.
Recovery takes more than just a clear head though. It takes clarity of thoughts and feelings as well as spiritual clarity... the ideas that I am not alone, that I need help. When I do daily work for my daily disease, moments of clarity come. Not every day, but they come. And they are my best teachers, teaching me what I need to know for ongoing recovery. Surrender. Acceptance. Hard work. Humility. Feeling fully. Patience. Gratitude.
Moments of clarity can touch me to my core, to my very soul. It is when I truly know that recovery works, that right actions can lead to right thinking.
Yet, ongoing growth in recovery takes more than just moments of clarity. Guarding against the dangers of complacency takes more. It takes thankful contemplation. As my blog header says, "Building a better perception of self and surrounding world with regular practice of gratitude."
When I am living gratefully, my perception is healthy and nurturing. A far cry from the self-harm my alcoholic thinking and drinking did to me.
One of my all-time favorite songs is Johnny Nash's version of "I Can See Clearly Now". I love it because it captures this depth of clarity and joy that recovery brings.
It is more than enough to keep me moving forward into this day. From the sun's glare hurting my hungover head and eyes, to the sunlight of the Great Spirit inspiring and energizing me.
Sobriety starts with getting a clear head. No more drinking and no more hangovers. I had many tough hangovers physically. I would sometimes force myself out for a run to sweat out the residuals. I treated the physical symptoms as the price to pay for the escape and "freedom" I got.
Recovery takes more than just a clear head though. It takes clarity of thoughts and feelings as well as spiritual clarity... the ideas that I am not alone, that I need help. When I do daily work for my daily disease, moments of clarity come. Not every day, but they come. And they are my best teachers, teaching me what I need to know for ongoing recovery. Surrender. Acceptance. Hard work. Humility. Feeling fully. Patience. Gratitude.
Moments of clarity can touch me to my core, to my very soul. It is when I truly know that recovery works, that right actions can lead to right thinking.
Yet, ongoing growth in recovery takes more than just moments of clarity. Guarding against the dangers of complacency takes more. It takes thankful contemplation. As my blog header says, "Building a better perception of self and surrounding world with regular practice of gratitude."
When I am living gratefully, my perception is healthy and nurturing. A far cry from the self-harm my alcoholic thinking and drinking did to me.
One of my all-time favorite songs is Johnny Nash's version of "I Can See Clearly Now". I love it because it captures this depth of clarity and joy that recovery brings.
It is more than enough to keep me moving forward into this day. From the sun's glare hurting my hungover head and eyes, to the sunlight of the Great Spirit inspiring and energizing me.
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