January 24

ACCEPTANCE MONTH: DAY 24: “Acceptance doesn’t mean that life gets better; it just means that my way of living life on life’s terms improves.” ― Sharon E. Rainey

This quote reminds me of a funny thing that happened in my early recovery. Like most of us, I had resonated with the popular quote (T-shirts & bumper stickers in the 1980s); “Life’s a Bitch, and then you die.” When I was about 2 years into this thing, I got a button that said; “Life’s a Bitch, and then you change your attitude.”

I still have that button. Why? Because I did not know that the whole purpose behind these steps is to shift MY attitude about life. Oh!!

We hear all the time in meetings, that we do life on life’s terms. But that phrase is usually attached to some story with a great deal of whining and complaining about how “tough” life is. Really? No!! It is all about how we approach life.

And, I disagree that life does not get better. I whole-heartedly maintain that my life is AMAZING! It is up to me to recognize and remember that, no matter how much I am not getting my way. Life DOES, indeed, get so much better it scares me. Especially given how little of this work I have to do.

I love recovery! I love my life. I am not exaggerating or making this up. There are all kinds of moments I could spend whining here, but it ain’t gonna happen, because I am so incredibly happy being me and living this life.

None of that is possible with the “Life is a Bitch” attitude I got here with. Although I had done NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING worthwhile in many years, I thought life owed me a lot. I still do not understand why I expected “FAIR” out of life.

Truly, if life were fair, I would probably still be locked in a cage somewhere, because my selfishness and greed were off the charts! I had nothing to give to anyone, it was all take, take, take and take some more.

I am grateful beyond words that I am not that person any more. That I can love who I am most of the time and love, love, love the life I wake up to every day. So far, I am vastly overpaid for what I put into it all. Thanks Universe!!!