Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Perspective


A sign on the wall in the Men's restroom on the ferry (see yesterday's post) that runs between Trinidad and Tobago.
(click for a closeup)



todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I never need to "arrange" my daily activities around my drinking again

to see people return to the rooms of recovery quicky after slipping / relapsing -- I don't know if I could do that and I hope I never test myself on this point

that I can introduce you to a new blogger from Houston (although he lives in North Texas now). Drop by and say howdy to Rebos Reed and help him remain grateful. We got sober within weeks of each other in 2003 at Lambda Center even though he's 31 years younger than me.

for time spent with Rodney yesterday - we took a 3-hour road trip to the Gulf coast and had some quality chat-time together

for my life. Last night I was missing Hayden being here with me. And I was taking a break from some voluntary computer work (for Lambda Center) and reading recovery blogs and also watching the Astros on TV when I ventured to my stylish 2nd-story front balcony. There was a young-ish homeless guy rummaging through the garbage bin across the street, probably looking for food scraps. All of a sudden, I felt very grateful.

"It’s hard to detect good luck - it looks so much like something you’ve earned."
-- Fred A. Clark

12 comments:

Redhead Gal said...

Amen to that!

Pammie said...

Loved the sign!!! I could just imagine a drunk standing there thinking "screw you, I'll puke wherever I want to".

Health Watch Center said...

Hello Daave,

I came across to your blog while I was searching for addiction recovery blogs...you have a an interesting blog...

The desire to stop drinking can be strong and it is a worthy self goal to achieve, but it may prove too difficult to successfully licking the temptation to drink without help.

The road to recovery and abstinence particularly for the long-term alcoholic is a long, difficult one. The desire to stop is admirable, the attempt, to be supported; but the achievement of such a goal is to be applauded and rewarded.

Healthwatchcenter.
Self Hlep Zone

Scott W said...

At least they were polite.

Mary Christine said...

Your stylish 2nd story front balcony... sounds nice.

lushgurl said...

Grateful to not have to arrange my day around getting the money to pay for the booze, getting to the liquor store before it closed and then drinking!!!= that was my unlife!
HUGS

Shannon said...

my husband is like that, he will see someone or something like that and be grateful... that is cool

have a great wednesday

Judith said...

Excellent gratitude list. I am so glad to not have to arrange my life around drinking anymore.

The vomit sign is funny. I'm glad you thought to take a photo of it.

Reed said...

Thanks for the shout out. I stopped reading your g list when you stopped emailing them. Now I read them everyday and look forward to your words of wisdom. I am flying into Houston on Friday or Sat so I hope to see you at a meeting.

Reed

Sober Steve said...

Sign was funny. Its amazing what we really have to be greatful for if we just look.

An Irish Friend of Bill said...

there must be a lot of vomiting going on in that neck of the woods! ..perhaps theres a dodgy curry house right next door or something..
yeah i get those grateful moments too. they are VERY sobering. shows me my invented suffering really powerfully

Anonymous said...

Is that for real? Well I suppose so, I can understand the complaints of the cleaning crew going on.

I love your outlook, may you never loose that. And your gratitude, how precious to take it from looking a balcony . . . seeing the message. If only we can see the messages happening at all times, now would that make us human?

Thanks dAAVE!