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She Recovers

sherecovers@shaw.ca (sherecovers) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:55:48 +0000

I want to start out by thanking Cate for inviting me to share on this great site. And I want to let you know that being called an “expert” is slightly more than terrifying. I have a great deal of respect for women and men who work as professionals in the addiction recovery field, and I am (slowly) working towards a life coach certification to coach recovering women one day, but I’m not there yet. For today, I’m just another woman living in recovery.

Twenty some years ago, I surrendered to the fact that I was an addict. I didn't come into recovery at the "height" of my drug-using insanity – the crazy days for me were years earlier, before I had my two beautiful daughters. I found that I didn't have to be using like my former crazy person self in order to hit a bottom. When I stopped using drugs in 1989, it was because I believed with every ounce of my being that I had really, truly and finally had enough. I wanted a new reality, to find a new way to live, mostly for my daughters. I always say that I got into recovery for my kids (yes, I believe you can get clean and sober for other people) but I stayed in recovery for myself.

For the past 24 years, I have been finding my way back to myself. I think that’s what recovery is – recovering our potential, our hopes and our dreams. For most of the past two decades I have worked a program of recovery, and sought a heck of a lot of outside help. My recovery run was interrupted with insanity just once, in 2000. For a couple of days, I took prescription narcotics to deal with some overwhelming grief that I just didn't think I could bear. I chose not to bear it, I guess. I took the narcotics as prescribed – unfortunately they were prescribed to my mother, who had just died. I did not, at that time, consider taking those pills a relapse in my recovery. When I re-thought that idea four years later, I changed my recovery anniversary date and starting "counting" all over again.

Tonight I will celebrate 13 years of abstinent recovery with a bunch of miracles and a cake (no, I haven’t managed to give up sugar – yet). This last 13 years of abstinent recovery has been as amazing at the first 10. I’m fortunate that my two days of using in 2000 didn’t turn into the rest of my life. I don’t plan on experimenting again.

I’ve had some great successes in recovery. I have a happy and healthy relationship with another person in recovery (21 years of marriage, thank you very much). Those two beautiful girls? Happy, healthy and contributing members of society. One of them experimented briefly with drugs when she 16 but we nipped that in the bud and today she teaches yoga for recovery. Taryn’s not an addict but like she says, she’s been in recovery since she was four.

I went back to school early in recovery and earned three degrees. It took that many for me to realize that I really am smart “enough”, and I realize now I probably didn’t need the PhD to make my dead mother and my living father proud of me. Today my 82-year-old father likes to ask me to tell people what “my certificate” is in. If I’d known I just needed a certificate I could have saved thousands in student loans.

Recovery hasn’t been all pink balloons and happy thoughts. Eight years ago I nearly died from a stage three tumour that ruptured my colon. That marked a defining moment in my recovery and in my spirituality. I’m glad I survived that too, and I honestly do try to remember to treat each day as the gift that it is. But…I have a bad memory. Three years ago I ended up in a workaholic craze and sought a great deal of outside help and worked many more hours in recovery to get past that nonsense. Just when I thought I had the workaholism thing figured out, I was laid off from the job that I had once thought was my identity. I was so glad I had learned that was not true when they took my Blackberry and sent me home (and I finally got to get an iPhone). I got a pretty awesome severance package and have spent the past two years figuring out what I want to be when I grow up. I am working again – but as a self-employed researcher and writer. Perhaps this is over-sharing (I do that) but I want to always be in a job that I can a) do from Mexico for two months a year; and b) not have to wear a bra every day (Sorry guys – you may not get that piece).

I’ll tell you what I know today. If god in her infinite wisdom ever figures that I need to re-experience one of the two deadly diseases that I have already survived – I'd hope for cancer over addiction in a heartbeat.

And speaking of heartbeats – thanks for letting me share my gratitude. I’ll be back here again a few times this month, if you’ll have me.

Love, Dawn.

MY MOMENT OF SURRENDER

addictionlandblog@gmail.com (Cate) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:49:39 +0000

I lay on a metal gurney inside an emergency room. A hospital gown covers my pale, thin skin. My mother is driving over to meet me at the hospital. Until now, the severity of my drug addiction has been a secret to her and the rest of my family. They were aware I suffered from bulimia in college but they believed I overcame it.

The on-call cardiologist is about to break my denial and my mother’s denial regarding my addictions. He enters the dark cave housing my metal gurney and announces the results of my blood test.

“It shows here you were admitted to the emergency room with a toxic amount of cocaine in your system,” he says.

“I went at a party. I tried cocaine for the first time. I didn’t realize how much it would affect me. I did too much,” I replied.

“So, you want me to believe that this was your first time using cocaine?” the physician asked. He took a good look at my 5’8”, 115 pound frame and rejected my lame excuse.

“Do yourself a favor young lady and get to a 12 step meeting as soon as possible. There are plenty of them in South Florida. You have a drug problem and, you may have done permanent damage to your heart.”

My attempt to con the doctor angered him. He didn’t appreciate my wasted life. In his profession, he had seen one too many addicts drink themselves to death or die from an overdose. He wondered how a nice Jewish girl with my upbringing ended up on a metal gurney with IV lines protruding from my veins. He wondered how such a serious problem could go undetected by my family until now. He wasn’t the only person in the room wondering. Even I did not have the answer to that baffling question.

Working the Steps in Daily Life: Step One

love@theeasiersofterway.com (The Easier Softer Way) — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:37:07 +0000

In recovery, we go through the steps with our sponsor. However, the steps also must be worked in our daily lives. As the Twelfth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous suggests, we must practice these principles in all our affairs.

Powerlessness

In everyday life, powerlessness is constantly affecting us. Specifically, we must always remember our powerlessness over our addiction. Keeping close the memory of what happens when we indulge helps drive us every day to work the steps. Remembering what our addiction looks like is a great motivator.

After working the steps and gaining insight, we discover that we are powerless over much more than our addiction. Essentially, we are powerless over everyone and everything except ourselves. We must stop trying to control outside events.

Dr. Paul O. said, "When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation- some fact of my life- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment... When I complain about me or about you, I am complaining about God's handiwork. I am saying that I know better than God."

We must stop trying to control and fix things. Although in the First Step we are not yet examining a power greater than ourselves, the point still stands: we must recognize our own powerlessness over the world around us, and focus within. In our daily lives, we must turn our concentration inward, and cease trying to control the external. This is a simple, yet difficult task; recognizing our powerlessness and letting things go is very counterintuitive.

Unmanageability

Unmanageability affects our daily lives as well. With the powerlessness over other people comes the unmanageability. Other people, external events, and anything else outside of ourselves is certainly unmanageable. When we don't recognize our powerlessness over these things, unmanageability grows even stronger. Trying to exert power over external phenomena creates distress and anxiety. Recognizing our powerlessness, we must see that everything is unmanageable to us.

In regard to ourselves, unmanageability is quite relevant. Even with our own actions, thoughts, and emotions, we encounter unmanageability. In everyday life, we experience thoughts and feelings that we are powerless over. We sometimes act in ways that we don't intend to, often as a result of living without being mindful. Our thoughts, actions, and feelings are unmanageable because we are trying to manage every aspect of our lives. As the steps go on, we must turn our will and our lives over to a Higher Power. Recognizing the unmanageability of our own lives, we see that we must rely on a greater power to direct us. At first, this may be the Twelve Steps, the advice of a fellow, or a mentor. Regardless of what this power is, it helps us manage our lives.

In our daily lives, we can practice both these principles by putting into practice the Serenity Prayer. We must accept that which we cannot change (everything external and some things internal even), change the things we can (internal things and our relationship with our Higher Power), and recognize the difference.

How to Survive the Early Sobriety of A Loved One

bbuncher@beverlybuncher.com (coachbev) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:36:09 +0000

You have your own recovery. You care about your loved one.

Family Recovery is possible - but getting there in the healthiest way possible can be a challenge...

To learn more click here.

Amending Our Behavior

love@theeasiersofterway.com (The Easier Softer Way) — Sat, 11 May 2013 22:26:17 +0000

The Ninth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous suggests that we make amends to those we have harmed. We make direct amends wherever possible, focusing on the exact nature of our wrongs. We take accountability for our actions. However, there is far more to amends than just making a direct amends.

Living amends is the practice of changing our behavior. We must not just rely on direct amends to change our lives. The essence of the ninth step and amends is to amend our behavior. If we make direct amends, but continue behaving in that way, then we really aren't amending anything at all!

The word amend means to improve upon or to make better. Knowing this, we recognize that making amends has to do with changing our behavior. When we go through the 6th and 7th Steps, we become willing to let our character defects go. For alcoholics and addicts, our character defects have often been driving our actions for a period of time. When we become willing to and humbly ask our Higher Power to remove these defects, we must also take action. God can move mountains, but we must bring shovels!

Amending our behavior is simple, but not easy. We must look at where our behaviors are harming us and others. Recognizing these behaviors, we must act in the opposite way. For example, if we are asking to be freed of selfishness, we must act selflessly. Taking the action, we leave the rest up to our Higher Power. When we make direct amends to somebody, we must follow it up by behaving in a new way.

Looking at our character defects that cause harm to others, we practice the opposite of each one. There are opportunities every day to practice good qualities, both with the person we have harmed, and with everyone else in our lives. In this way, our behavior changed, and we no longer are causing harm to those around us.

HELP FOR TEENAGE ADDICTION

addictionlandblog@gmail.com (Cate) — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:11:02 +0000

My first addiction in my youth was co-dependency. I didn't realize it but the healthy boundaries that should exist between parent and child did not exist in my home. My parents weren't bad people. Quite the contrary, they were productive, involved and good people. Unfortunately, they married young with wounds they never healed from their own childhood and very poor communication skills.

As a result, I became my mother's sounding board for her negativity, pain and secrets and I became my father's distraction for the lack of intimacy in his marriage. He came to me for affection and attention, not sexual needs.

Needless to say, I was a breeding ground for all sorts of uncomfortable feelings ranging from rage, sadness, guilt, shame, fear and panic. I further developed an unhealthy dependence on my best friend and later, my boyfriend. I lived in fear of being abandoned if I didn't meet other people's needs. If my best friend was bitchy, I tried to be nicer so she would be kind. If my Dad disapproved of my boyfriend and pulled away from me, I broke up with boyfriend to get his love.

With all that untreated internal chaos, I became bulimic at sixteen. At eighteen, I started to drink, snort lines, take an occasional ecstasy, cheat on my boyfriend and smoke cigarettes. By twenty one, I was a hot mess. I was active in all of my addictions with my eating disorder being the major cause of my distress.

I told my parents and boyfriend I had a problem and my parents sent me to see a family friend who also happened to be a therapist. Unfortunately, I was so afraid of what my parents would think about my lack of control, I lied to the therapist and pretended it was just a phase.

I was dying to be perfect because I thought if I was perfect my parents would find peace and happiness and the tension in our lives would be gone. I continued on that mission until I was thirty one, to no avail. The only thing my people pleasing mission accomplished was my own demise. I couldn't see how sacrificing my own needs and truth was killing me.

Today, I have thirteen years sober and am free from all of my addictions, except maybe my co-dependency. I still tend to take on other people's pain and withhold the truth if I think it will hurt someone. I am getting better at not doing that because I realize it is a form of manipulation and no one benefits when a person in a relationship deceives. The Truth shall set us all free and sometimes the Truth is painful because it means changing our patterns and letting other people feel their pain.

If I could give my teenage self some advice from what I know now, I would say the following:

1. You are not responsible for anyone else's life or actions. Whether its your parent, sibling, friend or lover, you do not have the power to make anyone happy or unhappy. Happiness comes from living a life based on your inner truth.

2. Find people who support you and your dreams and surround yourself with them. They can help you separate the True from the False and will get you through difficult times when toxic people are negative and critical.

3. What other people do is a reflection of them, not of you. Hurting people hurt people. Unhappy people try to pull down other people. Happy people want you to be happy too.

4. Whatever it is you love to do, do it no matter what anyone else says. It can be a hobby or an occasional pleasure or a job, but never give it up or else a part of you dies.

5. Even if you think there is no one who can or will help you, if you ask for help from your heart and you mean it, unbelievable things will come to pass for you. Angels in the form of other people who do care will show up, either at school or on the street or in random places you visit. When you meet them, recognize you are loveable and worthwhile.

6. Every problem is born with a solution. Every addiction is born with a freedom. The first step in changing your life is the desire to change. You may not have money to hire a therapist, but you can go to a school guidance counselor and ask for help. Let someone know what you are struggling with and that you want help and you will find your solution a day at a time. Never give up on you-you are worth it!!

All my best,

P.S. Lastly, you can reach out to us at Addictionland and let us know how we can help you. If there is a resource we can connect you with, we will be happy to try.

Working a Personal Program

love@theeasiersofterway.com (The Easier Softer Way) — Sun, 05 May 2013 21:30:15 +0000

Each one of us works our own individual program. In twelve-step programs we are given many suggestions, but there is only one requirement: the desire to stop drinking. Attending meetings or speaking with our fellows, we see how differently each of us works our program. It is a beautiful thing that we are encouraged to work the program how it works for us, and there are always people more experienced than us who have different experiences to offer. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says on page 29, "Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and from his own point of view the way he established his relationship with God."

Our Own Higher Power

In my personal experience, the ability to choose your own Higher Power is one of the greatest examples of people working their own programs. I have met people of all faiths and traditions in the rooms: Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Pagan, Atheist, and simply spiritual. Regardless of your spiritual/religious beliefs, there is a place for you in twelve-step programs.

Although Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by Christians and on many Christian principles, it was created with an expressed intention to work for people of all belief systems. I practice Buddhism myself. My sense of a "Higher Power" or "God" is very different than a lot of my fellows. I choose to utilize the Dharma as my Higher Power. Rather than a supernatural or ethereal force or figure, I use the path of Buddhism as my Higher Power. It works well for me, for I am able to turn my will and my life over to it. I am able to pray and meditate, be grateful for my Higher Power, and not fully understand my Higher Power.

Whatever your beliefs are, the principles are the same: trust in God, pray, meditate, turn your will and life over. I have met many atheists in my time sober, and have found the principles also apply there. In Buddhism, there is the teaching that we all have seeds within us; we have seeds of doubt, anger, love, fear, acceptance, etc. When we take action, we are watering these seeds within us. Being of service waters the seed of compassion, love, etc. Punching somebody waters the seed of anger, hatred, etc. Speaking with atheists, I have heard a very similar account of things. Even though they do not believe in a greater deity, they do believe they have a better person within them. I see atheists in my home group be of service, share eloquently, relate to others, and be wonderful members of our fellowship.

As discussed in a recent post, it is important to keep religion out of twelve-step meetings. I have heard speakers that truly move me that I find out have completely different beliefs than I do. I have heard other Buddhists share that I do not especially relate to. Religion (or lack of) is not important in twelve step meetings. We are all sitting there for the same reason, and sharing our differences only separates us. If somebody is Christian, Hindu, atheist, or whatever, it is their program, not ours. It is my honest opinion that it is absolutely none of my business unless they are directly hurting me or the integrity of the program. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says on page forty-five about the program, "Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem."

Working the Steps

Alcoholics Anonymous was the first program to suggest the twelve steps as a program of recovery. The twelve steps have been an incredibly useful tool that millions have used to recover in hundreds of different programs. However, the twelve steps are fairly vague and general. Even with the Big Book and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (Twelve N' Twelve), there is a lot left to the individual in working the steps. In the Foreword to the First Edition, the Big Book says, "To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book." This, to me, says that the goal was to show what helped them in order for us to have some experience to help us. However, it does not say that we must work a program exactly as anyone else did.

My sponsor is an old-school type of guy. He reminds me constantly that Bill went through the steps in two days when he was in the hospital. He took me through all twelve steps before I had ninety days sober. I take my sponsees through the steps in the same way. However, I know many people who go through the steps much slower, and still have a full sobriety and life.

With the second and third steps, we may choose different Higher Powers as discussed above. With the fourth step, there are many ways that people work it. I know some sponsors have their sponsees write every single resentment they have ever had and write several pages on each one. I know other sponsors who only want the bare minimum, for they believe the point is to get the character defects out. All of the twelve steps can be worked in a different way really.

Steps ten, eleven, and twelve are steps that are often worked very differently in any given fellowship. With the tenth step, some people write daily. Writing a daily inventory either at night or in the morning helps many people. Some even write during the day when they feel a resentment arise. Others prefer to use meditation as their chief means of taking inventory. Sitting in silence or after prayer is a way that many people see what is arising in themselves and take an inventory. With the eleventh step, any given individual's prayer and meditation is most likely going to differ from his fellows'. There are people of all spiritual beliefs who practice in many different kinds of ways. There are those that hit their knees every morning and evening, those that meditate avidly, and those that don't do either formally. With the twelfth step, there are those that sponsor a lot of people, those that volunteer time with Hospitals and Institutions, those that hold many service commitments, and those that participate in conventions and other committees.

Even though the twelve steps are direct in their suggestion, there is much room for interpretation. Whatever an individual's program looks like, what matters is that they stay sober and help other addicts and/or alcoholics.

Outside of the Rooms

There are also many differences in what we do outside of the twelve-step rooms. Some of us seek therapy or psychiatry. Whether somebody seeks therapy, acupuncture, or attends religious meetings, these are outside issues. People do these things because they help their recovery. People do yoga, surf, work out, or do a number of other things to enhance their sobriety.

People work different jobs, spend free time doing different things, and engage in different activities in daily life. This is one of the freedoms we are allowed with the twelve-step program.

These differences in our programs are a beautiful part of twelve-step programs. It allows us to find people that have worked the program in many different ways. If we maintain an open mind and open heart, we will find that each way is unique, right for the individual, and we must find our personal truth.

http://www.TheEasierSofterWay.com

BREAKING THE CO-DEPENDENT CYCLE

addictionlandblog@gmail.com (Cate) — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:42:56 +0000

There is nothing fun or enjoyable about breaking a pattern like codependency. People become accustomed to a dance and when one person fails to participate in the sick dance any longer, other people become angry. That is what happened when I let my father and mother know I was no longer willing to sit by while they speak bitterly to one another.

Thankfully, I had a talk with my therapist two days ago and was prepared for this backlash. In fact, before I hung up the phone with him, he said "Just be prepared. They may react in a poor fashion and take care of yourself." My mom seemed to take my honest expression of my upset fine. My dad, on the other hand, sent me an email that basically made it sound like I betrayed him in the worst fashion possible.

He wanted to make me responsible for my mother's actions. He was irate and indignant that I left the house and said nothing to defend him after he spent three weeks at the hospital serving my mother with love and attention. He told me he won't forgive me. The anger and pain that rose up inside me as I read his words was palpable.

I thought to myself, "Really, Dad??? You won't forgive me for not getting in the middle of you guys shit any longer after I was put in the middle of it since I was a little kid and its cost me my own happiness. You won't forgive me??? That's funny." I didn't say that to him but I wanted to. I also wanted to tell him to go throw his pity party on another block.

Yes, my mom can be ungrateful and bossy and cruel toward him. And, no, I don't approve of her behavior either and I don't like it. However, they shouldn't even put me in the middle of it as if I was their referree. How sick is that? On top of that, I showed my mother as much attention and love as he did while she was in the hospital and I don't expect a metal. I did it because I love her and I want to support her.

I realize they have so much pain and anger toward eachother and a dynamic I don't get nor want to get. I also realize it is only my ego that is bothering me right now (need to be right) and I am so glad I took my husband's suggestion to hold off and not respond to the email right away to process this. I don't need to knee jerk react to the insanity. Instead, I can slow down enough to feel the pain and find true relief.

My dad is free to not forgive me. He is free to judge me and my mom and stay angry as long as he chooses. He can pee in his wetsuit and linger in it as long as he likes. That is his choice. I, too, have a choice.

Finally! I have a choice! I do not have to react to his tantrum. I can write about, talk about, punch the pillows about my feelings and then I can turn it over to my Higher Power for a real solution. I can love my father and not participate in his insanity. I can wait 24 hours to see how I might like to respond and when.

It has taken a long time for me to reach the point where I have the strength and understanding and self love to say no to abusive behavior. It is not okay for my parents to expect me to take away their pain or fix their issues or defend them. They are adults. They can fight their own fights and, if anything, I am the one who deserves an apology for being put in the middle of this for as long as I have been.

I won't hold my breath. Instead, I will ask my HP to remove the anger and show me how I can be of help. Love is always the pathway to peace. I will look for the Love and trust Love to heal the wounds.

Best,

Step One: Honesty and Right View

love@theeasiersofterway.com (The Easier Softer Way) — Sun, 05 May 2013 01:48:51 +0000

The First Step of Alcoholics Anonymous states, "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable." The principle behind this first step is honesty. Step One also is closely related to Right View in Buddhism.

Step One and Honesty

The first step is a simple (not easy) declaration of our complete defeat. Looking out our addiction, we see that our behavior has centered around our addiction. The first part of Step One, "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol," is a look at the nature of our using. Powerless is a strong word, and frightens many of us. However, when we look at the way we use, powerless is indeed a fitting word. When we drink and use, we lose all control and power. Taking the first drink, pill, hit, etc., we immediately succumb to our own powerlessness, and give in to the power of the substance.

We also experience powerlessness with the mental obsession we have. Even before we take the first drink, we are in constant thought of alcohol. Our lives are centered around alcohol. When we are not drinking, we are looking for the first drink. We are preoccupied with alcohol, not only losing power of action but also power of thought over it.

When we work this first part of Step One, we are practicing rigorous self-honesty. In order to see the nature of our powerlessness, we must be willing to set down the ego and be genuinely honest. This honesty helps us see that true extent of our powerlessness. As we honestly look at places we drank when we should not have, times we drank when it was inappropriate, and amounts we drank that we should not have, we recognize our powerlessness.

The second half of the First Step is "that our lives had become unmanageable." Many people read this the first time and misinterpret it. What this is saying is not that our drinking had become unmanageable, but our lives. Yes, our drinking is obviously unmanageable, but the point is that our entire life is unmanageable by ourselves. When we look honestly at our lives, we see how unmanageable it has become. Our entire lives are out of our own control. With honesty, we are able to concede to our innermost selves that we are alcoholics and that our lives are unmanageable by our own control.

Step One and Right View

Right View and Step One are very closely related. Right view is the practice of seeing things as they truly are. The principle of honesty goes very well with Right View. In Right View, we begin to see things as they really are. When we are drinking and using, our perception is certainly disturbed. We are not seeing things as they really are, although it seems real to us.

Practicing the First Step and Right View, we open our minds to seeing the world from a different perspective. We look at our drinking and using, and we recognize the truth. We see more clearly the nature of our addiction. Rather than blaming everything on external issues, we recognize it is our own powerlessness that is the root of our suffering.

We also recognize how unmanageable our life has become. This is not to say we recognize the need for a Higher Power in our lives; rather, we come to terms with the reality of our lives being out of control. Often for some time, we have not been able to manage our lives. Where we previously believed we were in complete control, our convictions change.

Right View is essential to the First Step of Alcoholics Anonymous because we must begin to see things more clearly. We recognize the cause of our suffering is the addiction, powerlessness, and unmanageability.

Make a Difference, Recover...

dcal.mail@gmail.com (Recovered88) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:35:25 +0000

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee."

– Marian Wright Edelman

The Twelfth Step of Mutual Support states that as we recover, we carry the message to other’s that still suffer. A basic spiritual principle of our world is, “we must give it away if we want to keep it.” This sounds so illogical yet it is powerful beyond measure. When we close our hands to hang on to what we have already received, having our hands closed we are limited and cannot receive more because there is no room to recieve anymore. The fact remains, the more we give the more we receive in future blessings.

Most of us are raised to quench the drive within ourselves that seeks to become all that we can become. We look to make a difference in the world in some way. Some folks strive to make a difference globally while others limit themselves to their immediate families and community. Many times we utilize our failures to create our future endeavors. For instance, Bill Wilson the Co-Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous utilized his struggle with and ultimate recovery from alcoholism to make a global impact on millions of people throughout the world. This was not necessarily his intention, but step by step the daily progress created long term impact.

As we recover and we take additional steps to overcome addiction, we help others to do the same, we begin to make small differences in others’ lives as well as our own. Often, when we recover we begin to look to the future for our vocational and life purpose. We recognize that life is more than just a party. We learn that life is meant to be enjoyed and not endured yet not in some Hedonistic way of seeking pleasure but in a way in which we make a significant impact in the lives of those around us and extending as far out as we possibly can. Life is good!

Dan Callahan, MSW