September 18

”Go on working freely and furiously, and you will make progress.” Paul Gaugin

My recovery stops when I quit working my program. It may not feel like it right away, it make take hours or days, but eventually, if I am not doing those outer circle activities to maintain sobriety, the shadow of my addiction will constantly creep back into my life. It happens quite innocently, a stray glance or thought, the temptation to look at something or say something that is near the boundaries of my inner circle. Before I know it I can find myself obsessing, fantasizing or even acting out. The road to recovery is a life-long journey. My tools not only need to be with me each and every day, but I am required to use them as well. Progress has to be a continual working towards a better life. The steps are all part of my personal voyage towards living for the will of my Higher Power rather than my own. My addiction never gives up. As is often heard in the program, it is out in the parking lot doing push-ups, patiently waiting for the opportunity to jump back into the driver’s seat. My responsibility with my awareness is to remain vigilant and take away those opportunities. This is the freedom offered to me by the program.

Affirmation I commit to being in recovery today and that means using the tools I have learned to continue taking steps of progress.