we have read in our basic text and heard in many meetings about being responsible for our recovery not our disease. that was our meeting topic last night. when all i was said and done i got to thinking about what else we are responsible for. of course the normal things, rent, eklecticity, gas, and those kinds of bills. but as someone with a few days in recovery i am responsible to reaching out to the newcomers as well as the old timers. last week I was chairing a meeting and i had to cut someone off as they got onto a really personal matter that should have been shared with their sponsor. that person came up to me last night and gave me a huge hug and thanked me for what i had talked to them about last week. of course that made me feel like i had gotten through to that person that we truly suffer from a disease the problem is us.

learning how to live in my body 24/7 clean was the hardest thing i had to learn. getting off drugs was truly simple, i used for 22 yrs and have be clean almost as long. but there has been a lot of speed bumps along the way. i had to have another minor heart operation last friday. it's funny my heart attacks and all 3 heart operations have happened in the month of january. i think i am going to just take january off from now on. i had one reply abut the operation blog and yes i am taking my plavix, atenenol and aspirin daily always have since january of 2007. i quit smoking after 43 years. trust me when i say it was harder to kick than any drug i ever took.

God really tested me last year with all the death's not only in my family but friends. but i did what any responsible addict would do, call my sponsor, called NA friends, and took my ass to a lot of meetings. i grieved for 3 months but i finally got through it. thanks to quite a few people on this site who also got me through Liam, Jenn, Paula, Peggy, Michael and more.

so to end this i hope you all are becoming responsible addicts, doing what it takes to stay clean, being compassionate towards your fellow addict and staying clean. recovery is a journey not a destination and use the rest stops God provides along the way.

NA hugs,

JJ