I haven't had the time to post about my personal struggle lately, but things are going ok for me. Still have some hard times ofcourse but I'm still able tofight them, and it is getting easier!
But Í just had to share the following stuff with you guys:
* I got a new job starting this monday, paying real good and I'll be doing stuff I'm good at and like!
* I cleaned up the house (finally), it is still a bit messy, but it is 'clean'!
* My wife told her carpool partner from work he hasn't got a chance for her love at this time as she is getting to 're-'like me again :) best news ever!
* To celebrate all this, we are now at a too expensive hotel in Antwerp (Belgium) enjoying 3 days of pampering and luxury -- we used to that more often before I tried to destroy my life
* Not sure if you want to know, but we had s*x for the first time since, well, can't even remember how long it has been. And best of all: we took a bath together, that's the best thing about hotels (as we don't have a bath tub in our house)
So, yes, this was my lucky week! Starting monday, I must get used to my new schedule: alarm clock at 7:15, leave the house at 8:00, be at my new job at 9:00, work till 17:30, home at 18:30. I think that that will do me some good as I found out earlier: just being busy with work stuff will make me not think of drinking. '
Thanks all, wouldn't have been here sitting in the hotel lobby writing this post without you all! I will light a candle for you all in the local cathedral and take a few moments to think,
Franklin -- feeling oh so happy today! and still counting the days (43)
That is wonderful, Franklin!! It is not 'luck'! It is the fruit of good effort on your part to work the Steps, and of God's merciful grace. Enjoy the 'second honeymoon' with your wife.
A couple of slogans to remember as you start work on Monday, "easy does it",,, and 'you do your best and God does the rest'.
The first stages of recovery can be wonderful like that and put us up on a pink cloud. That's great. Things will kind of settle down in a while so that we are faced with everyday life's problems again. I think that's what happened to me after my appendectomy - I was so relieved and it felt sooo good, and then, back to dealing with life. But, stick to it, cuz even dealing with the problems, and ups and downs of life is better, as we learn healthy coping skills.
Thanks for the update.
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
Thank you for sharing your JOY with us, made me feel SO happy for you! So happy to have you join this little "we" program. Now in our little sailing boat. YEAH!
Thanks guys! Sure reality will kick in sooner or later and I'll find myself trying to sober with all my strength later on, but this weekend has been the best!
Before we went I had to answer to myself this question: Why am I trying to stay sober, is it just because I don't want to loose my wife too after losing so much in the past (friends, jobs, money etc). But it wasn't because of that: I , Franklin, wants to be the old Franklin he used to like. And on the road of recovery, my wife has got to know a new husband too and she likes it. Even if we would end up apart, I still want to be sober for me! I was a bit afraid I would only try to stay sober because of her because, what would happen to me if our marriage didnt work out afterall? As Jen posted in another thread: Stay sober for yourself, otherwise it won't work! And that is so true! And along the way, during my recovery, I found to have some real nice friends and family members that are hoping the best for me, just for me! not for our marriage, not for my work, not for the money involved, not for the house, just for me, the person I had hated for sooooo long.
I'm glad I am doing pretty ok, facing each day at a time, gaining more power daily to fight the urges to drink or to do something else really stupid to numb my brains.
I am not the person to write daily reflections, but I quoted doll before to show how her simple lines can mean so much, so my quote for this week will be:
You must stay sober for you, and you only. Trying to stay sober for others or other things will just not work!
it is amazing how much inspiration and strength we have. Getting past the first few days is the hardest part (physicly) and from then it is a daily battle in your brains and yes, we can win that battle as people before us have shown us!
have a healthy 24h everyone! Wishing you all the best from a sunny but cold Antwerp!
Hey Franklin....glad that things are getting better with sobriety. Hope you had a awesome three days and that the new job goes well. Will be thinking of you tomorrow.
