"Happy Friday!"
I am an Alcoholic. I am a recovering Alcoholic. I only feel that my craving and urges to drink have been removed which I feel or see myself as recovered in that area. On a daily basis I am recovering. So why does the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous use the word "recover" 82 times in the book? Here is the link as to where you can find the 82 times "recover" is found and used in the Big Book:
http://sunlightofthespirit.org/recovered.htm I hope this link is helpful and hopes that you will be able to learn more and have a better understanding of "recover" that is used in the Big Book. Moving on, the synonym words "restored and healed" are also used in the Big Book which clearly refers to the same word as recovered. Is this confusing for the new comer? Should the word be changed or explained better in the book? Is it in the book to prove just how complicated us Alcoholics can be at times? Could it be that the word "recover" or "recovered" was used in the Big Book to cause controversy? Could it be that this so called word "recover" or "recovered" was used so that we do not take the Big Book literally...meaning it gave us some room to feel on our own about it, think for ourselves on it or allow us to become more independent as to our own opinion about it. The answers to all of this can be plenty. In my opinion and what I was told and what I have researched is that "recovered" was used in the Big Book only explaining the fact that we have recovered from not picking up a drink or drug for that day, that minute, that month, that year or rather years. That we have recovered from our urges and cravings to drink. It talks about "in the now" of being recovered. Now some may disagree, argue my opinion or try to change how I feel what this word means to me in the Big Book and I am alright with that. However, it never states anywhere in the book that we are "recovered" forever! It is never stated in the Big Book are lives will be "recovered" without further improvements, change and work to be done in our lives. I also feel that the Big Book used such a word to allow us to understand or view our own state of recovery, as of our own opinion...if you will. On the other hand, there are those that must see themselves as "recovering" otherwise they will end up using again. Those that see themselves as "recovered" may just mean "in that moment" and nothing else...which leads us to complicate, dissect and rip things apart. I know for me...I could hear a word and give it 50 different meanings and judgements without even giving a person the chance to just feel, express themselves or me trying to correct or convince them to what I think they should see it as. Sound familiar? Moreover, do you feel you are "recovered?" or do you feel you are still "recovering?" The answer to this is none of my business only to my own self. I can not tell someone how to feel in the 12 Step Program. I can only give suggestions...if asked! I can only listen or at least try to listen and accept it, respect it and move on. I have no control over anyone's recovery. I only have control over mine. Lastly, I feel the Big Book is written the way it is written and that it was expressed the way it was expressed just as we express our recovered or recovering points of views. I feel we should respect another views just as we did or do with the writings in the Big Book. I am a recovering Alcoholic! Keep it Simple! What are you...recovered or recovering? Take what works for you and leave the rest...Today, I will run knowing I am a recovering Alcoholic.
Sobriety Fitness by Cathy Shuba is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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