It's a family affair; One child grows up to be; Somebody that just loves to learn And another child grows up to be Somebody you'd just love to burn Mom loves both of them.
Lyrics from the song “It's A Family Affair” by Sly And The Family Stone
According to Pew Research, there are an estimated 2.2 billion mothers worldwide, with around 85 million living in the U.S.
According to me, my mom is the best.
The point of this post is not to pontificate on the amazing attributes that make my mom the best but instead to focus on what those who support us have been through in our addiction(s) and the rewards they have in our sobriety today.
Throughout our active addiction years and even early in our recovery, we thought that the only person affected by our bad behavior was ourselves. We have come to realize the error of our thoughts.
Conflict, fear, trust issues, unstable moods and finances, stress, jealousy, pain, and violence in some instances (to name a few states) hang over those closest in our circle.
Late nights, lies, irresponsibility, anger, distancing, and sometimes legal troubles spilled from within, spreading to those that typically shared our last name.
As we covered in the blog entitled "Addiction Signs” Part 1; Understanding the addict, we knew what we were doing was not right but, at that time, saw no viable alternatives to our destructive lifestyle.
The ninth step promises, found on pages 83 and 84 in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous, read, in part: “…We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.”. This is both a hard pill to swallow and a breath of peace; through understanding the power of its’ promise,
You see, it is our past that has so sharply framed our future. For us, we had to come to appreciate the path past to enjoy the intersection that we are at and honor the road ahead. If we had the power, we would turn the clock back and do things differently. This is probably true for the addict as well as the average Joe. We cannot undo the past, but we can rewrite the future. Life provides an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and experiences - if we stay open in our minds and willing in our actions.
So for us, today is a day to pen our new legacy. We embark on every 24 hours as an opportunity to grow and to serve. We hope that our new way of life reflects love and appreciation for those who share our last name and close circle that supports us daily.
To all the moms, dads, children, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for persevering. Maybe it's too early for congratulations, or peace has not yet arrived. Know that those of us committed to sobriety will move closer to the person we were meant to be – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
We are working on it for ourselves and you!
To my mom, who is obviously the best of all, happy Mother's Day thanks for being my number one fan. may you share the rewards of recovery.
You see, it's in the blood Both kids are good to mom. Blood's thicker than the mud. It's a family affair.
Lyrics from the song “It's A Family Affair” by Sly And The Family Stone
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
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Alcoholics Anonymous and AA are registered trademarks of Alcoholics World Service. Inc. References to AA, the 12 steps, and 12 traditions does not mean that AA has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication nor that AA agrees with the views expressed herein. This publication is intended to support personal growth and should not be considered a substitute for healthcare professionals' advice. The author’s advice and viewpoints are their own.
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