Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Gratitude for 10 Years Sober

10 Years Sober today.  This is going to be a little obnoxious and sound like a fucking award speech or something, but bear with me, ok?  This is a big fucking deal and I'm going to share about it.



This is my LIFE IS SO FUCKING GOOD face. Mascara running. You jerks are writing such nice stuff it's making me cry!

I realize this isn't something people usually shout from the rooftops, but I've never been more proud of anything than getting and staying sober.  I know that talking about this helps other people, and ultimately, that is the greatest high I get these days.  It's how I give back for what was given to me, and continues to be given to me.

Short and sweet, I am so grateful.  At the basest level, I'm grateful to be alive and healthy.  There were many times I know I could have cashed it in or did stupid things that could have gotten me cashed in, and I'm so glad those things didn't happen.

On another level, I am so very grateful for the people along the way who have picked me up, continued to deal with my bullshit, and just loved me through all of it.  For people who said, "we won't love you to death", and let me go until I cleaned up my act, I am super grateful. 

Not a believer in any kind of religion, or any one god type figure, I do believe in something. Some karmic universal power. What I believe is you get back what you put out into the world. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. That helps keep me sober. I'm not asking for your approval. I'm telling you what works for me.


I am so grateful for AA and the 12 steps.  It is my church.  It gives me strength and helps me to help others.  The people in those rooms are some of the best people I've ever known.  I've said it before and I will say it again, if we didn't laugh our asses off in there, why would be go?  I mean, sure, we cry and talk about serious stuff, but perhaps the most important thing to me is that we all laugh so hard with each other.  I've met people who have helped me get and stay sober, and then others ask me for help and I help.   That is how this whole thing works.

Big gratitude for people who in no way have a drinking problem, my friends and family who listen to my shit and we all laugh while they have a drink, I encourage it!  Seriously, have one, or twelve,  for me. I am laughing too.  It's all good.  My husband is a "normie".  But damn is he in love with me.  And respectful of all of this.  He's celebrating today as much as I am, as we both know we wouldn't have this great life together if I weren't sober.  Dumpster Baby or not, we have a great life together. 

We are all tiny grains of sand, it's when we all join together that we cover huge amounts of space.  You all are my grains of sand.  I cannot do this alone. 

Cheesy?  You betcha.  Deadly serious.  As all fucking get out.  I live to laugh.  And I get to live because I am sober. 

Now, the most valuable fake gold I will own today.......



23 comments:

  1. Wow, that's an amazing accomplishment. My marriage failed because my husband chose alcohol over me and the four kids.

    You should be insanely proud of yourself. Alcohol ruins so many people, but it clearly didn't ruin you.

    Congratulations on 10 years!

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  2. I barely know you and only in the cyber sense but damn,I'm proud of you,too. You're a beautiful person. I have so much respect for you and what you've accomplished.

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  3. Awesome. F*cking awesome. Good for you! Thanks for spreading the love and paying it forward. You're the kind of life adventurer that makes this world amazing. Truly.

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  4. Congratulations! That is an amazing accomplishment, and even though I admit that this is the first post of yours that I have ever read, I have tears running down my face right now.

    I am so incredibly proud of anyone who can beat addiction - its effects can be so devastating. My second husband was an alcoholic and even through rehab he just couldn't get out of the deathgrip that it had on him. And sadly, it killed him.

    Congrats, congrats, congrats! I just can't say it enough!

    :)
    Amy

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  5. Congratulations on such a victory. My mothers ten year celebration will be next month. Knowing how hard she's worked for it I commend you, and wish I could squeeeeeze the heck out of you<3

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  6. You're an inspiration friend and I celebrate your accomplishment with you.

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  7. You're brilliant. Good fucking work. I know it isn't easy.

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  8. Bless you! I don't know you but I'm so glad that you let us share in your tremendous accomplishment. And, you give those of us whose loved ones have not found sobriety a sense of hope and a reminder that sometimes the best thing we can do for them is nothing at all.

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  9. Congratulations!! That is awesome. Thank you for sharing. I know it makes a difference.

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  10. As another computer friend, I'm proud of your accomplishment. Your updates and posts about your sobriety are so inspiring to me- my husband is about 3 1/2 years sober, and I consider him the bravest person in the world. I know how your husband feels- it's really a wonderful, life affirming thing to celebrate that strength. He went through rehab, but doesn't get anything out of AA, and I'm always curious to hear how other people navigate getting sober. Congratulations! XOXO

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  11. you all made my day. thank you so much for reading and the comments mean so much to me. So encouraging to know I'm not alone, and that we all have stories to tell. Alcholism does have such an impact.

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  12. You are right. It is most definitely a big fucking deal. An awesome, incredibly, super-hero, rock-star, big fucking deal.

    Congratulations.

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  13. So, so, so, so, so fucking proud of you. Of COURSE you should celebrate this; you should shout it from the fucking rooftops! Seriously. Go. Shout. Now. :)

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  14. You know how you say "so much love"?

    That.

    Rock on, lady. Rock on.

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  15. No one can affect an alcoholic, like another alcoholic...and now you have me crying. Damn alkies...we cry about everything, yet pretend to be hard-asses. lol Great job, love!

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  16. As someone who has 8 beautiful months of sobriety behind me, I am utterly inspired and full of admiration for your ten years!!

    Many congratulations.

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  17. I found this post on From the Bungalow and was drawn to it because though the alcoholic gene did not hit me, I did grow up in a family of addicts and spent my teenage years going to AA to support others. Honestly, I LOVE AA meetings and I've been at a few speaker meetings. They are SO INSPIRING! I am so happy for you! Congrats!!!!

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  18. I found this post on From the Bungalow and was drawn to it because though the alcoholic gene somehow missed me, I did grow up in a family of addicts and I spent my teenage years going to AA meetings supporting others. I remember being at a few speaker meetings, and I loved them, so inspiring! Good for you and Congratulations!

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  19. You GO girl ♥♥ !! Much admiration!

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  20. You go girl!! ♥♥ Much admiration!

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  21. Inspring!! Truly! I struggle with addiction, and celebrate that you have recovery in your life, therefore, you have a life!!! Thank you for sharing your triumphs and struggles - good and bad - life on life's terms! Keep coming!!! :)

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  22. Job well done, Lady!

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  23. Fucking amazing girlfriend!!!

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