Well, I'm new to this site, and just wanted to say hello to everyone and wish you a year full of serenity and personal recovery.
I hit my bottom, when my wife of 25 years walked out of an AA meeting and said "We're done". Before that point I knew I was an addict, but didn't think my life was unmanageable. This jumped started my belief that the 12 steps were my key to saving my life.
Something spiritual got me into the rooms, and I have come to see my higher power in the rooms, the 12 steps, and God. I have surrendered myself, and try to approach life being honest, openminded, and willing. Each day starts for me with 3rd step prayers to my higher power, and prayers for others who I know are hurting.
I'm living in my first four steps, and have a year of recovery helping me. My sponsor has alot of experience, and has guided me with the process. Looking forward to growing up, and believe that my gratitude speaks when I care, and share with others the NA way. May no addict seaking recovery need ever die...
hi Dave,, welcome,, im an addict who has had reovery needs met in this terrific forum for about 2 and half years now !! al the best to you too and a Very Happy nw Year t you too !!
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Raman an addict clean and serene just for today in NA Worldwide ; live to love and love to live the NA Way !!!
Greetings Dave, welcome to Miracles In Progress Family.
I'm Tahir, a grateful recovering addict from India.
I could so relate with what you shared about hitting the bottom and somehow coming back to the one and only way out - a constant thought running in my mind and heart that the 12 Steps are the key, the only key to saving my life.
I was convinced about this back then when I was stuggling in the wilderness because I had done everything else to gain control of my life, and failed miserably.
Beginning the day, and continuing to use the 3rd Step Prayer throughout the day is indeed a life-saver, a transforming factor in my recovery today, in changing from a frustrated scared individual to a calm one resting in the arms of a loving Higher Power
Thanks for emphasizing the importance of working with a Sponsor regularly, need to focus more on that...
Look forward to hear more from you and to share and care the NA Way with you here at MIP.
Keep coming back, NA Hugs, Tahir.
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Thanks for the responses. Right now I've been discovering the joys of recovery. When I started the program, I just wanted to stop using blow. Never signed up to stop smoking or drinking. To me, I was proud of my addiction, and had no desire to stop.
Two things put the hook in me. Something got me in the rooms, and I felt better just hearing about other people's addictions and how they were dealing with it. And before i left, my future sponsor gave me the basic text and won't let me pay for it. I drifted in and out of the rooms for a few months, and eventually read the pamphlet, the triangle of self obsession. That described me to the T. I had such resentments from my past....abuse by someone I trusted, the loss of a signifcant business to a family member (a thief who was in C.A.), and other issues, made me angry of where I was, and fearful of the future.
I knew that acceptance, love, and faith was needed to fix my situation. Well I have a neat story of how I came to believing that a power greater than myself could restore me to sanity. And I don't want to makew this post too long to read...But let's just say I came to see spirituality on three levels, the group, the 12 steps, and my higher power. Starting every day with 3rd step prayers, praying for others I know are hurting and saying just for today turned around my self centeredness.
In the first step, it says the 3 levels of addiction are physical, mental and spiritual. I was floored recently to hear (in a meeting) that the spiritual element of addiction was being self centered. I WAS. And my 2nd and 3rd step were changing that for me. I owe my recovery to this program, to my new friends, and my higher power.
One last thing, I heard "It's a Wonderful Life" on the radio driving around on Chrstmas eve looking at lights with my 21 yr old son, and it brought a tear to my eye. So many little things can make a big difference in other peoples' lives, you never know when just one act of kindness, one sentence of sympathy, one act of service, might affect a person's life forever.
I hope I can share with others the wonders this program is made of. May God reveal his will to you, and you have the strenght and courage to carry that out.
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
