First of all thanks for the experience, strength, hope, and laughter you add to my life everyday. While I don't post all the time, I visit every day. I feel sometimes I take much more than I give, because I get a lot here.
Anyway... today I am sober for 11 years. God has blessed my sobriety in that AA seemed to stick right away. I went to my first meeting drunk, polished off the last of my booze after my second meeting, but haven't had a drop since. The journey has been fabulous.
As I sit writing this, I'm in pain, but not the old kind. As we were driving to a restaurant last night to celebrate my belly button birthday, I turned too fast while playing with my daughter, and tore a muscle in my rib cage. Yow - I thought I punctured my lung or something. Straight to the emergency room, but home again now.
The physical pain I might feel is more than offset, however, by my three month old son., Liam, who is in his little chair next to me cooing and laughing as I lean over to tickle his little feet. My two year old daughter Sheila is in her bed soon to awaken. In the kitchen my wife Liz, 19 years sober, is making bacon and eggs for breakfast. Although it is bitter cold outside, its quite warm and comfortable in my little world today.
I'm feeling very blessed and felt compelled to share. When I first came to AA I had nothing. Now, while we may not have money, I feel like we have it all. The children are truly a gift . We had suffered the pain of five miscarriages, one was actually a birth but stillborn, before Sheila and Liam arrived. They're here now and boy do we love them.
Thanks anyone out there this morning. What a great group of people. I hope all of you feel as blessed as I do today.
Mike., I just got on line, and it is morning. What a nice, uplifting post to read early in the morning. It put a smile on my face. I can picture the kids, and you, and your wife - blessed with something far better and more important than money,,, sobriety? yes, but the key to that - Love.
God bless you, and congratulations on your 11th,
I hope your rib heals quickly,
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
Blimey 11 years yer!! I think this year will be of interest to me as I get my feelings back as I am off the prozac. I shall try and keep close to the program, if I am not here in the morning its coz I am sleeping in!! i am exhausted, through emotinal turmoil due to a sick person that likes (a) my name and (b) commiting drugs offences.
BIG BOOK SAYS: "To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while."
hmm, food relax and bed for me!! cuppa cocoa!! wow what a treat!!
Happy eleventh Mike!! What a great post to read this morning. I look at your avatar and believe that is a Norman Rockwell (Town Meeting?) and what he captured in his paintings is EXACTLY what you've painted in words today. It truly is a wonderful life. Many more to you...Tim
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"We posess the eyes through which the universe gazes with wonder upon its own majesty."
What an awesome post to start the day with, Mike. I love your posts. You put things into marvelous perspective, thank you. You are so correct, feeling blessed for all that you have. I see so many who strived to have so much of the material that they lost their journey, being focused on the narrowness of the destination. Happy 11th, and again, thank you for inviting us into your life this morning. Hug, Chris
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
Thanks Chris, Phil, Robert, Doll, Christine, Tim, Carol, and Amanda,
Your replies have made today a really nice day.. And Tim, it is Norman Rockwell's Town Meeting. Its part of the Four Freedoms series (freedom of speech). Another New Englander, like us. Well, now it's back to the couch. On days like this I really miss the TV. We got rid of it when Sheila was born. Right now, the book I'm reading isn't making it - any suggestions? Thanks again, all.
What genre do you normally like to read? Mystery? Sci-fi? Self help? Talk to me. It's one of my favorite pastimes when I'm not busy and mabe I can direct you to some good reading. If not, I'm sure some others will...Tim
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"We posess the eyes through which the universe gazes with wonder upon its own majesty."
I like history, historical fiction, biographies... that sort of thing. I'm currently reading Gore Vidal's Burr, but not connecting with it. Maybe a good mystery would be fun...I've never really read any mysteries, except Sherlock Holmes in high school. Thanks... any suggestions would be great.
Let's see...Last history I read a couple of years ago was "Andersonville" and I don't remember the author. A good book but more of an historic novel. I had a great or great-great granduncle who died there. In fact, his name is on a civil war memorial out in Mendon center. As for mystery, I was introduced to a series of novels by Elizabeth George, a British writer. She has a couple/few main characters she's developed over the years named Chief Detective Inspector (CDI) Thomas Linley and his assistant Sargeant Barbara Havers. A like/hate (but very effective) relationship. I got hooked on them and have read them all but for the latest. Great plot and as serious a whodunnit and how-do-we get-him/her as any Holmes I've read. If you start, I'd recommend reading them in order of publication, which I didn't. She's a very prosaic and talented author. That's the best I can do for you or anyone else out here who likes that genre...Tim
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"We posess the eyes through which the universe gazes with wonder upon its own majesty."
Andersonville was a Civil War prison camp, I think. I enjoy reading about the Civil War. I'm going to theBoston Public Library website now to see if they've got any Elizabeth George stuff.
