Happy Happy Joy Joy

I am so happy that I began and continue down the path of personal growth. the people, techniques and ideas I have been exposed to over the last year have really help shape my life in a positive and constructive nature. While it has been difficult at times and required constant vigilence, I have seen the results in my attitude and relationships. I am grateful as hell to be sober for as long as I have and grateful that I recognized that the need for improvement is life long. Thank you to all of the positive genuine people I have met and worked with. I hope your influence reaches those who have not yet recieved it.

Powerless

It is amazing how I never have life figured out. Every time I think I have something figured out I realize that life changes so fast and so often, that I can only hope to continue learning and admit that somethings I can't figure out. Some situations, people and events are completely out of my control and I ought to spend more time using the serenity prayer and moving on. After 20 years of sobriety I'm back to embracing the fundamentals. Aint life a picnic?!

Thank You!

I never really stop to appreciate all the people and things that are in my every day life. This is sadly true about my family. Don't get me wrong, I try to be the best father and husband I can. When I'm not working I'm at home with them. I'm talking about truly appreciating the people that they are. I have 2 fantastic boys. Alex is 5 and Nathan is 7. They are full of energy, curiosity and amazingly still think I'm the greatest thing around. They are both smart and funny and genuinely want to make you happy. Then there's my wife. She's an incredible mother, holds a great job, she's beautiful, athletic, loving and smart. She's doing her first triathlon this year and sometimes I watch her ride away on her new bike and think I can't believe that's my wife! I better not screw this up because I'll never get this lucky again. I hope you have someone or or a group of someones that help you understand how fortunate you are. Just one man's opinion.

Expectations

Have you heard the old saying "Be careful what you wish for it may come true"? I'll be damned it it isn't right on target. I'll preface this by saying that life is life. Sometimes bad stuff happens. Sometimes you have absolutely no control on people and events. With that being said, I have worked very hard over the past 9 months to change my attitude and default way of thinking. I have carried around with me the beliefs that I had when I was a sixteen years old and drinking and getting high. Back then I didn't expect anything good to happen. I usually assured myself of back situations with my bad decisions. Now I'm 37 years old. I have a wife, 2 kids, I own my own business and my decisions are much more responsible. I have noticed that over the past 9 months of expecting things to go well and being focused on how I will be happy and have the life I want, things actually have gone well! Someone told me a while back that "We travel the path of our expectations." Where is your path leading you?

Great Experience!

I recently had the opportunity to visit the rehab I graduated from in March of 1987. I was the the very first resident and then the first graduate of the program. I was amazed to find the same furniture was still there with my name and date carved into the arm of the chair. It was alittle spooky being back there after so long, but they treated me very kindly. I spoke with the director of the program and several people of the company that runs it. They explained how the program works and I told them about how it has grown since I was there. After talking for about an hour and having a tour of the facility they brought all of the residents into the common room. The director introduced me and let me address the guys. It is an adolescent program for boys ranging from 15 to 18 years old. It was like going back in time looking at them. I used to sit in that exact same chair and wait for whoever was speaking to shut the hell up so I can go back to my room! I spoke to them for about 15 minutes. Most of them had no questions or any reaction at all. A couple of them wouldn't have noticed if I was on fire. But 2 of them seemed mildly interested. The staff working there were thrilled to have me there. It was like being a small time celebrity. I listened to the staff remind them of all the horrible fates that awaited them if they didn't get their act together. I'm sure these kids were well aware of this by now. I know I heard daily about how I was going to end up homeless then dead on the side of the road. I respectfuly acknowledged the comments of the staff as entirely possible, but asked the kids if they have ever considered all of the amazing and great things that may happen to them if they get their shit together. How many of us ever considered that while in rehab? I sure didn't. I'll speak for myself insaying that getting sober is absolutely necessary and much easier to achieve if I have some positive goals and ambitions to go along with the threat of impending doom. In short, the opportunity to visit these kids and try to impart a positive message hopefuly helped them but absolutely helped me appreciate what I have, who I have, and all of the fantastic things waiting for me to find them. It was great to get some perspective. Good luck everyone!