Sign, sign, everywhere are signs
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
Les Emerson - Canadian Rock group Five Man Electrical Band
As Les points out, signs are everywhere. We can hardly travel a minute without some suggested or required guidance. Signs, in general, provide succinct information, usually for promotion, identification, direction, or safety concerns.
As drivers, we tune our attention to the direction of road signs to keep us safe while in transit. As we navigate recovery, we pay closer attention to the direction of those who transitioned before us.
Today, we look at some common signs of sobriety and share what they have come to mean to us. We glance up at the following list often as we proceed down the path toward peace and harmony - for reassurance and guidance:
STOP
We have come to appreciate the gift of clarity of thinking. Maintaining this coherence requires abstention from any recreational mind-altering substance. When we see stop, we draw the line at 0 percent. We don’t proceed slowly, we don’t roll through, we completely abandon motion.
Our definition of “Recreational” refers to any drug that a doctor does not prescribe for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We also acknowledge that temporary pain medication may be needed to address extreme discomfort. We are not making medical suggestions – please appreciate the spirit of our stance as it relates to true sobriety.
Our hard stop is intended to mean we don’t smoke “a little weed,” we don’t abuse medically dispensed drugs, and we consume NO alcohol – not even 1 percent.
ONE WAY
This is probably the place where we might inject that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is THE only way to sobriety. That is not true. There are many ways to get sober, and we have seen transformation by multiple means.
The value of the one-way sign is that there is only one way to live better. The ways spelled out for us include acting with honesty, hope, courage, integrity, willingness, humility, love, responsibility, discipline, awareness, and service. We surrender to the fact that the old didn’t work out too well for us and that these attributes can take us to a place of peace.
YIELD
We lived the consequence of acting solely on our will, and it did not turn out well. We existed in a state of unmanageability until it hurt more than we could handle. We surrendered - our first step – abandoned our stubborn power post and passionately proclaimed our powerlessness.
Our second step was where rubber met road; we acknowledged the existence of a power “greater than ourselves.” We simply self-stated that something had more power than us. The detail would unfold at a pace we allowed.
Yeilding to the power we called God was a decision we made as our third and most important step. Turning over our will and the ultimate control of our lives to this influential force took the pressure off and opened up the possibility of moving toward peace.
SLOW DOWN
Nowhere in the writings of the Alcoholics Anonymous playbook is there a dictate to rush the recovery process.
Though the founding fathers apparently completed the entire process in days, expediency is never suggested as a must. Performing tasks thoroughly sometimes demands time.
We found that there is a fine separator between failure to execute on time and finesse. While willing to take certain steps, we must act when all preparation has been exhausted; otherwise, we are but in a state of willingness.
We think efficiency trumps velocity, but perfectionism or procrastination is too easy a trap to fall into if we are not hyper-aware. The point of the sign is to be conscious that we are doing the work at a pace that is valuable to our recovery.
DO NOT ENTER
“Relapse is not an option” – take the thought and phrase right off the table. We don’t go there. When we begin to think, feel, and act like our old drunk selves, we are headed down a path best not entered.
As solid opponents, our minds are people, places, and things that represent absolute no-entry zones, especially early in sobriety and when in a state of hunger, anger, loneliness, or tiredness.
We don’t enter mentally or physical areas that bring us closer to “the danger zone.”
CAUTION SPEED BUMP
Shtuff will happen. Expect the unexpected. Life will life us and we need to be attuned and ready for the sudden disruption of the ordinary.
Sometimes, preparing for the worst is better than being caught off guard. A braced response is better than an unbraced one.
It's funny how “yield” (see above) plays into anticipating speed bumps. Taking our foot off the gas and yielding to our desire to speed allows us to gracefully navigate life on life's terms.
NO PARKING ANYTIME
Just say no to the negative. Our journey is too short to park in shit. We have come to appreciate the past for what it is: Unchangeable. What we have the opportunity to do is adjust through motion. Actions of today shape the future of our tomorrows.
We keep doing the next right thing, and good seems to follow us. Through this transformation, we reshape and sharpen the future while softening the past.
NO EXIT
Recovery is a life-long gift. No offramp appeals to us. None. Even a glance in the direction of doom sends shivers up our spines.
So, we trudge the road of a happy destiny, paying attention to and obeying the signs that bring authentic satisfaction. We are grateful for the order and structure. We are thankful for the signs and the blessings that come when we conform.
Deepak Chopra -- American Author
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from sober.coffee bonus podcast titled “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY - 1 YEAR !!" The session dropped 4/10/2022. Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by Moheb Iskander on Unsplash
BLOG DISCLAIMER:
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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