For all the talk in the rooms about smashing the ego, recovery really is all about the self. I mean, really, it’s all about becoming the best self that you can be. Recovery encompasses so much more than just not using intoxicants, it’s about learning to love yourself and to accept yourself as you are and helping others to do the same.
With that in mind, I think it’s important to celebrate the good things that happen in our lives in recovery. I’ve had two really awesome things happen this week that I want to share. I know I’m tooting my own horn, but I’m trying to do so mindfully. I don’t mean to brag, just to share some good things that have happened this week.
Sunday night, a post that I have been meaning to write for a long time was published over at Transformation is Real. I shared part of my experience, certainly some of my strength, and hopefully some hope. Over the past year, I’ve come to realize that my addiction to alcohol manifest itself after I became a father. I’ve come to accept that a big part of that has to do with what happened early in my life and how I view the man who became my father.
Here are some excepts of part of the post, I hope they’ll wet your whistle enough to give TIR a view. There are many wonderful stories written by an amazing group of writers on Dan’s site.
In 2007, my son was born and I thought that my dreams were about to be fulfilled. He was the spitting image of me when I was a baby. He was perfection as far as I was concerned. He was an amazing little package of joy and I was ecstatic to have him in my life. I was on top of the world
All the pressure of being a father, and all the fears that came with it, triggered something in me that I’d never expected. Within eight months of my son’s birth, I’d begun to go off the rails. I began to drink every day.
It was unplanned but especially touching for me that the post went live on 9/11. Don was a firefighter and he lost many good friends from FDNY on that day. The attacks hit him very hard and I’m glad that I was able to honor my father on the anniversary of that tragic day.
The response to this post was overwhelming from my friends both in and out of the rooms. I had the good fortune of seeing my sponsor last night and being able to talk about the post for while with him.
If that wasn’t enough, this very site was listed by my cyber friend Regina Walker as one of her to 12 recovery blogs for the site The Fix. Now, I knew that she was writing the article, but I didn’t now when it would be published. It is truly an honor and humbling to be included among the folks listed on her site. Many of these folks have been in recovery and writing about their experience a lot longer than I have. All of them are inspirations to me.
There is something really awesome about this online recovery community that I’ve found myself in over the past year. Even though many of us have never met in real life, there is a deep sense of camaraderie among the #recoveryposse. We support each other. We laugh and we cry (yes, real physical tears at times) for each with each other. Neither of these two things would have happened if I’d not put my honest truth out there and joined in the discussion on Twitter back in October of 2015.
I’m blessed to receive the support and help that I do from these fine people.
Walking in Sober Boots 
5 responses to “Hell Yeah, I’m Celebrating — Settle Down, Ego”
The hits keep coming. That’s awesome Damien. What a week for Sober Boots!
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Your words help me to stay hopeful. Thank you.
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This means the world to me. I mean that sincerely. I’m hopeful for you and all those still suffering. Sending you and your husband love and kindness.
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Congratulations on the article and mention – very cool!
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