RECOVERY
By Willie Barnes
Recovery is a lifetime, on-going process. It's a commitment for the rest of my life, one day at a time. Recovery is a process of living a new and very different life style. To live a life in recovery I must stay clean and away from bad influences. I have made a commitment to myself to do something everyday with my spirit and faith. I pray to God and ask for strength and guidance.
I attend Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings daily. I must also remain totally honest with myself. Recovery has given me the opportunity to renew my spirit. I have lived two lives, a dark past life that carried me to my present life, one filled with hope and motivation. Families are very important in recovery because it's about change. Family is there to support me in my change and give me the extra support I need. If I ignore the needs and desires of my family then I have failed to accept my responsibilities.
Recovery has become a lifestyle that is everywhere I go and everything I do. It is more than just a lifestyle without drugs; it's a very bright alternative to the hell I lived in the past. Most of us go into recovery hoping to regain what we have lost and I've been fortunate to be given the tools needed to clear the wreckage of my past life. The NA program puts balance in my life, as I am able to share with other ex-addicts. The NA program offers us hope.
We learn new ways of living in recovery and no longer are limited to old ideas. Some of us didn't know how to tell the truth, but we now know the truth, recovery is a better life. Perhaps recovery will also teach us kindness and how to care for one another, a lesson that is needed by everyone. We are very grateful in recovery as long as we take it one step at a time. Relapse is a daily reality and possibility, but with the strength of my commitment to recovery and the power of God's care, I will carry on. I will honor my promise in a partnership with God and myself to continue to pray to God for strength and guidance in my recovery.
During my recovery, I have discovered several important steps such as commitment, family and spiritual guidance. I have learned discipline and to follow rules and directions in hopes of pursuing a better life. In the process of changing my lifestyle, I realize that I must leave my past life behind. Recovery has also provided an active change in my ideas and attitudes. Before recovery, most of my actions and decisions were guided by impulse, but now I make decisions based on reasonable thinking. I see my vision and it is one of commitment, hope and a better life. One day at a time, for the rest of my life.
Tutor: Mary Nunn
