"I didn't know what I didn't know..." He told me his story and how he had come into recovery more out of necessity than by conscious choice. "Surrender and win" he heard said at an AA meeting. Drink had taken him to depths from which he could only ascend. Put simply, he had nothing to lose. The gift of despair.
So, surrender he did. He described the welcome he received on entering the rooms. How he felt like a warrior returning to his village. In AA he found his tribe. Like coming home. Explaining to me how the 12 Steps have indeed been a bridge to normal living, and how he got far more than he bargained for having stumbled across that first meeting. He kept his ears open and more importantly, his mind open and receptive to the help that was immediately forthcoming. He followed the suggestions that were made. And he discovered a great deal more than how to get sober, and stay sober. He discovered a life beyond his wildest dreams.
So, what, you may ask, is he doing in my consulting room on a sunny afternoon? Well that's neither here nor there, really. Life on life's terms ain't always straightforward. Recovery is a lifelong journey with twists and turns, some more foreseeable and easily navigable than others. In coming to understand some things, light is shone on others that still befuddle us. It is a humbling privilege to work for someone whose recovery boasts the longevity of his and yet, we remain equals. We are both just putting one foot in front of the other, dealing with our lives, a day at a time.
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