Sobriety: What's Old And New

Welcome! Is it just me or is the year flying by? Seriously felt like winter holidays a little while ago. Right, right. That's because I was on holidays for a while! I am officially back to work.

Sobriety, what's old and new? Turns out there's a sober weekly get together in my neighborhood now. I sure could have used that three and two years ago! Too little too late. No, I'll go. Later, I'll go. I can't begin to tell you how busy I can be.

Everyone is so busy all the time it seems. This one girl told me three years ago that she was going to get together for a coffee with me when she, "wasn't so busy". In that case, she obviously doesn't care about having coffee with me, sad.

Actually, I don't spend too much of my time sad, usually I work or watch tv. Sometimes talk to other people, remember when I was so lonely? That was back in the beginning of being sober, when I didn't even have myself, yet. Now that I'm becoming a whole person, I need less from others, I never got what I needed before anyway. I like to give to others, through my written words, my hope and strength.

When I was a drunk, I thought and acted like a drunk, I had nothing to give. Wait! That's not true! Still, I helped others! I offered people a place to stay, I helped others raise their children, I volunteered at the local soup kitchens. Everyone adds value; remember that.

If one person is smarter than someone else then it is better to help them than to sit a top a high horse. If that makes any sense! Do you know, I had to learn what humility was when I sobered up? I looked up kindness in the dictionary to find out that I had been very rude to a lot of people, even mean, for a long time. That's how I was treated, I thought, I learned it from other people. It doesn't matter! I owned it and got real with it! Was I sorry? Yes! Crying sorry, I never wanted to continue like that.

Now, to keep sober, I had/have no choice but to keep it real. I can feel many emotions. One that I have found that never does me any good expressing it, is anger, it is a good jumping off point in writing down what the problem really is. Happy? Sure! I'm all over that! Embarrassed? I guess. Sad? Of course I'm going to be sad sometimes. Angry? Note to self: Do not say anything until the anger has subsided and the situation is sorted out. That's just the way it is. I have never said anything nice in the heat of a moment of anger and in fact, have said and done a host of potentially harmful things, instead.

Not to worry, I'm still getting better. Always better, never worse. After all, if I am not getting better after sobering up, then I am still sick. Am I right?

Thank you for reading the words of this one alcoholic.

Lisa L'Heureux in Calgary

Please, if you haven't yet, check out my books. They can be purchased at www.lisasestoreandmore.net and downloads are available at www.lisalheureux.net

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