Today is a pretty important day in my life. It was exactly 6940 days ago, nineteen years, that I began my journey of recovery from alcoholism. It was a Saturday and it was seemingly like any other day as I awakened. But that was soon to change and a series of events were set into motion that changed my life forever.
Today I can look back on this day that occurred nearly twenty years ago and realize it was a part of what was meant to be a part of my life. You don’t do to yourself what I was doing to myself with mass consumption of alcohol and not feel the effects of it. It took its toll on my family and of course, myself. Little did I realize at that time that the journey of recovery was a rest-of-my-life proposition and the lessons I’ve learned are ones that have made my life so much better today than they were back then.
No, things today aren’t perfect,,,but I’ve learned to deal with life on life’s terms and above all else, have developed a faith in a power greater than myself that keeps me in balance. There are so many people that I need to be grateful for during that time, each having a lesson to teach me about how to best live this life I’ve been given.
Today has been like so many other days. I went for a long walk this morning, a habit that I’ve just recently picked up. Later this evening, I’ll do so again. I’m the member of a local city commission and went to one of those meetings and then went to my second therapy visit. Who knows what the rest of the day might hold; I’m just grateful today not to have to worry about where the day might lead.
Tomorrow will be a teacher workday to start my forty-first year of teaching. I have two interim positions lined up for this school year and have actually had to turn down several others. These positions have given me purpose as we head into the second half of the year. I never envisioned that retirement would include continuing to do what I did for twenty-nine years. But I also have no doubt I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing at this point in time in my life.
What will the coming days and weeks hold? There’s no way to say. I do keep in mind that the pandemic is far from over and is raring its ugly head again. I’ll need to make sure to keep doing those things I need to do to protect myself. I was reminded this past weekend that the God of my understanding has a purpose for my life and is always beside me each step of the way. Faith tends to grow in a person that’s seen the darkest of days and I consider myself no exception.
So those are just a few of thoughts rambling through my mind this day. I’m going to try to do a better job of recording my thoughts and observations each day and share them with whoever finds their way to my blog.
David Lee
David Lee 