Joyful Moments are Always Priceless
Some of us come into recovery and we think if we hit the lottery and get rich, we could buy whatever we want and this would make us happy. If we have the nicest car, house, clothes and accessories we will really be loved and adored. Yes, finally, we will feel good inside.
However, in my life today, it is the smaller things that bring enjoyment to my life. I love to see my son’s smile when I pick him up from school because he is so excited to see me, his love is unconditional. Having my family proud of me today and not mortified of my addictive lifestyle. I am self-sufficient today and build my integrity doing the right thing no matter what the circumstances. I have discovered that in this journey of recovery as we start to get things back, the material things were not the ones that stood out to me. With the work we do on ourselves, we get back big things like acceptance of ourselves, integrity, feeling love, dealing with feelings without getting wasted- that is the lottery! The small things like someone calling me just to see how I was without any other motive except caring about me. Watching the stars with someone special or people coming to my sober anniversary to celebrate means the world to me. Today, having someone I trust to cry to and talk to about feelings- is worth more than any amount of money. I do not forget the days I could not deal with feelings, let alone talk about them! It is an amazing gift and blessing I do not have to live that way anymore.
In my journey of recovery, I learned money may buy momentary happiness, but it can NOT buy joy! It fills my spirit beyond belief when someone notices how far I have come in my life and compliments my growth. I cherish those moments and that is the biggest deposit to the bank account in my heart, my joy. In recovery, I know it is about the little things in life that add up to big things. There is a difference for me between happiness and joy. Recovery shows me more than I ever imagined. Now that is priceless. Amen!
-S.N.
“It’s the little things that make life BIG.” – Unknown