March 24, 2023 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step

 

Step by Step

Friday, March 24, 2023

Today, no looking beyond the current 24 Hours about the length of my sobriety, be it one day, one week, one month, one year, one decade or longer. Alcoholism is chronic and incurable but can be in arrested by abstinence, and all the 24 Hours of clean time we accrue are gone if we buy into the myth that we can get away with “just one.” And “just one” sets in motion total relapse. Even if we have racked up a significant number of 24 Hours, we are no more sober than the alcoholic who woke up this morning with a hangover. Remember the yesterdays when we awoke to the harsh reality that the 24 Hours we had before are gone, and know that our yesterdays are the best predictor of our behavior today and tomorrow – and learn from yesterday to avoid repeating its mistakes. Keep the ego in check – the other alcoholic who woke up hung over yesterday but is sober this morning is no less clean than we. Today, when it comes to being and staying sober, take it literally just for today. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M., 2023