NOT ALONE
June 30, from “Strengthening My Recovery” daily reader
“On our journey, we need the assistance of a trusted friend with knowledge of recovery.”BRBp.379
“The ACA Big Red Book tells us we’re trained with 72 seasons (18 years) of learned survival skills that turned into dysfunctional behavior as adults. Knowing this makes it seem unreasonable to expect total recovery in a few meetings, a few hours with the ACA Workbook or even a cover-to-cover read of the Big Red Book.
In cases of divorce, it’s said that it takes a year of grieving to recover for every five years of marriage. If we translate that formula to our circumstances of grieving our ACA “soul rupture,” it becomes even more understandable that recovery is an ongoing process. And it can’t truly happen without the help of our Higher Power and fellow travelers who are able to lead us away from years of frozen emotion. ACA recovery has its ups and downs, no matter how hard we work at it. So it’s important to know we can relapse, just as in other Twelve Step programs. However, an ACA relapse can take us into periods of sadness and isolation. This becomes less frequent as we continue to give ourselves permission to be human and to make mistakes. We learn to put down the mirror of harsh self judgment to let life and serenity in.
On this day I will remember that recovery is a journey that I don’t have to take alone. I will trust other ACAs who are also seeking the truth to help me.”
My Experience:
I am so glad that I am not alone on this journey. There are many resources that offer me solace of not being alone. Sometimes just hearing another ACA helps me in that moment, it may trigger resolve inside me or provide other insight. Sometimes it is the discussion and/or hug at the end of a meeting. Sometimes it is meeting and talking, sometimes just listening, to a fellow traveler that helps me. Oftentimes when I speak with my sponsor it brings me immense relief as does when I read the Big Red Book on a topic that I am struggling with. When I am able to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper, like in this blog, I also get a sense of relief. In all these areas I have described, these folks along with my Higher Power, walk beside me and offer me an outlet to increase my healing as I take my recovery journey. I am so not alone anymore!!
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