Getting High on Recovery

Recovery begins when we admit that we are powerless. But admitting our powerlessness will not change us. Admitting we are powerless to drink, to drugs, to food, to overbuying, and being over-busy will do little more than make us see how empty we really are.

Admitting powerlessness is a powerful moment. Because we allow ourselves to be who we are. At this moment.

We wake up.

We accept. And we are honest.

We believe. Again. We begin. Again. We are alive. Again.

Admitting we are powerless can be powerful.

We need help to find the power in our powerlessness. And we don’t have to look far to find people who will help us. To find the power in powerlessness. To begin again. And again.

Support for recovery is all around us. And within us. You find support when you follow the sounds. The playful sounds.

Growing up, we don’t even think about it. We can’t wait to leave our childhood behind. We have no more time for silly stuff, for playing around. No time for laughter. For silliness. Wasteful fun. Being muddy. Drawing, doodling, and making a mess. No more time for playing hookey.

As we grow, we make our way. And we distract ourselves. We drink, get high, eat, shop, work or stay busy.

Anything. But. Be. Alone.

We do things that leave us empty. Again and again. Until we are so empty that we have nothing anymore. Except more emptiness.

And stopping is not enough. It never is.

We need a recovery allows us to find ourselves again.

So we get serious. We work at it. We take responsibility. We get honest. We take it on. We get busy at our recovering.

But somewhere along the way, we realize something. We may have stopped. And we may have started recovering. But we are not ourselves. Our. Full. Selves.

We find ourselves. One bit at a time. When we play.

Play allows us to let go. A. Little. Bit. At. A. Time. Play allows us to be carefree. Just. A. Little. Play lets healing sneak in. In between the moments. Of hard. Of honesty. Of work.

“Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with books on algebra etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the creative bug is just a wee voice telling you, “I’d like my crayons back, please.” Hugh MacLeod

So today, ask yourself: “How are you allowing play into your life? Into your recovery?”

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For a related post, see “Addiction: A Simple Path.”

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Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash