COURAGE MONTH: DAY 24: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill
Many of us get to this recovery thing later in life, after the ages of 40 or 50. At that point, most people will have written us off as dismal failures in relationships, careers, etc. Some of us have succeeded in those areas to a certain degree and remained stuck for long periods emotionally.
Others of us are younger and have two lives to live fully, one for 20-30 years prior to recovery and then those 20-30 years (or more!) afterwards. We get to contrast and differentiate the two lives and see them balance one-another.
We cannot term anything a “success” or “failure” really, however. Because we must reach a state of dismal failure to walk into this thing and do what we need to do here.
I maintain that the greatest act of human courage ever performed is getting out of bed in the morning. This is because we wake up fully engaged with the crazy in the head (Screaming Purple Monkeys!) telling us that there is no use, it is all going to go to hell anyway, why bother story.
Maybe I am the only one with that, but my SPM are waiting for me the moment I open my eyes, with another story of how horrible it all is and will be and what is the point.
Getting out of bed ensures some form of success. Early in this recovery thing, I was told to “suit up and show up” for it to work in my life. By getting past the SPM and getting out of bed, I am already successful in NOT letting that shit run my life.
“First things first” means that I am now awake and out of bed. Anything I do from that point is sure to be more successful than laying there and letting SPM run the show. Then there is always the hope that my very presence to this day gives me a sense of completion and accomplishment.
I have learned that the only difference between success and failure is often my view of them. I can tell you that the same day, a specific time in my life; was deemed by me to be the worst day of my life and turned into the day I celebrate every year like no other. That is how much I know about success and/or failure.
What happens for us is that we fail to live well or perfectly because we don’t have all the information we need to do so. Then we get here and get more and better information than we had. Using that information is sure to increase our chances at being “happy, joyous and free” if we live according to that information.
How can we say, “no thanks” to that? Easy, just let the SPM have their way and stay in bed, dwelling in only the existence of no hope, no courage and no possibility. That is their best weapon. As for me, I am here to live and live well, because I have the information I need to do so. And so it is.
Dolphin Hug 