December 1, 2021. My actual sobriety date is October 4, 2011, but we were on the road—somewhere in Illinois, I think—and I had never really been anywhere to pick up my anniversary medallion. Until now. Now I’m somewhere where there are Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and today I finally picked it up. I believe God’s sense of humor shows in the date he chose for me to stop killing myself: 10-4, a common radio response that means “I received your message loud and clear,” or “understood.” There’s a saying in Alcoholics Anonymous: God brought me to AA, and AA brought me to God, and that is 100% true for me. In retrospect, that’s when my journey into Gratitude truly began: 2011. In the first days of my recovery, each 24-hour period that passed that I didn’t drink any alcohol was an amazing blessing because up until then, I just could not stop drinking, even for one day. I’d been a daily drinker for more than 30 years. But on 10-4, 2011, I stopped drinking and haven’t had the need to drink since. I know I am one of the fortunate ones. I am so grateful to be sober and in recovery! It’s one thing to just not drink, and another thing to work a daily recovery program that involves going to meetings and helping others. Because of that, I’m learning how to live life on life’s terms. I’ve become reacquainted with my Higher Power who I call God, and our relationship is developing marvelously. I am grateful for recovery.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
