Drug Rehab Options Blog

Note: i did not write this. It came to my email today from a website called the Daily Om, written by Scott Blum. I share it because I like it. Hope you do, too. Happy New Year!

"I was fortunate to spend time with an enigmatic man named Robert during a very special period of my life. Robert taught me many things during our days together, and this time of year reminds me of one particular interaction we had.

"Now that you are becoming more aware," Robert said, "you need to begin to set goals for yourself so you don't lose the momentum you have built."

"Like New Year's resolutions?" I asked.

"That's an interesting idea," he smirked. "Let's do that."

By then I was used to his cryptic responses, so I knew something was up because of the way his eyes sparkled as he let out an impish laugh.

"Tonight's assignment is to make two lists," Robert continued. "The first is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you WANT to keep, and the second is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you WILL keep. Write the WANT List first, and when you have exhausted all of your ideas, then write the second list on another sheet of paper."

That night I went home and spent several hours working on the two lists. The WANT List felt overwhelming at first, but after a while I got into writing all the things I had always wanted to do if the burdens of life hadn't gotten in the way. After nearly an hour, the list swelled to fill the entire page and contained nearly all of my ideas of an ideal life. The second list was much easier, and I was able to quickly commit ten practical resolutions that I felt would be both realistic and helpful.

The next day, I met Robert in front of the local food Co-op, where we seemed to have most of our enlightening conversations. "Tell me about your two lists," Robert said as the familiar smirk crept onto his face.

"The first list contains all the things I SHOULD do if I completely changed my life to be the person I always wanted to be. And the second list contains all the things I COULD do by accepting my current life, and taking realistic steps towards the life I want to lead."

"Let me see the second list," he said.

I handed him the second list, and without even looking at it, he ripped the paper into tiny pieces and threw it in the nearby garbage can. His disregard for the effort I had put into the list annoyed me at first, but after I calmed down I began to think about the first list in a different light. In my heart, I knew the second list was a cop out, and the first list was the only one that really mattered.

"And now, the first list." Robert bowed his head and held out both of his hands.

I purposefully handed him the first list and held his gaze for several seconds, waiting for him to begin reading the page. After an unusually long silence, he began to crumple the paper into a ball and once again tossed it into the can without looking at it.

"What did you do that for?!" I couldn't hide my anger any longer.

Robert began to speak in a quiet and assured voice. "What you SHOULD or COULD do with your life no longer matters. The only thing that matters, from this day forward, is what you MUST do."

He then drew a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to me.

I opened it carefully, and found a single word floating in the middle of the white page:

"Love."

My sister is in very early days of her latest attempt at rehab from oxys..maybe 5 weeks or so in an outpatient program where luckily she gets counselling as well as methadone.
Its baby steps out of the pit she's dug herself of using, owing so much money to so many shady people, lost friends and all the guilt from her behaviour during all that time. I go with her to each session with the doctor (mostly just sit in the waiting room) so despite all the other chaos in the her life I know she's faithfully making her appointments.
As hard as getting clean in her situation would be for anyone, life sure has thrown her some extra burdens on top of it.
*She is 3 months pregnant with a bf who has had the patience of a saint but is really struggling with untangling years of lies, thefts and the stuff we all know about. The family doesn't know whether to be happy she's expecting or dreading what could happen.
*Our dad is in the later stages of prostate cancer, and despite all the crap she's pulled over the years, even on him, she's still daddy's girl and she doesn't have the emotional tools at all yet to cope with his being ill.
*and tonight our grandmother died. again tough for all of us at Xmas time but one more mental blow I'm not sure she can deal with.
I just hope she can stick with her rehab through this and come out the other side.

I meditate each day..it is a habit. Last week.. I lay down, and asked the Lord to take me to a beautiful place..to guide me.

I was instantly on a beach at sunset with a large, white wicker basket in my hand. The basket was filled with smooth stones.

The verse came to me "Casting all your care upon Him, for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7

The stones were my cares..I knew.

I walked barefoot along the beach on the wet sand, the tide swimming around my ankles.

And one by one I tossed the stones into the surf. My heart became lighter as my basket did. I fell asleep, and when I woke up,

I knew I had heard from God. He wants us to cast our burdens, fears, cares, worries..everything!!..upon Him.

How great is our God.

:flower5:

These words have been rambling in my head - just thought i would share.

I laid down my burdens
And I picked up yours
You were so young and weak
It never seemed fair

But this journey is so long
And your load is so heavy
You collect more as we go
Yet I'm carrying it alone

If the end was in sight
I would try to go on
But IÂ’m lost myself
And the end is far

So my child I must drop your burdens
For you to pick up
IÂ’ll carry mine
You carry your own

I love you my child
YouÂ’ll never be alone
But if we both bear our own load
Then we may make it home

I’ve been into a do it yourself home improvement mode for awhile. Had a visual image of what I wanted and little by little I’ve been doing it. As I go along, sometimes my visual image changes a bit, and I alter what I am doing. Got my downstairs walls and ceramic backsplashes in the kitchen done – put in chair railing and new molding and hardwood floors in my living room and dining room. But each step I take, I see something more I want to accomplish. Right now it is ripping up parquet in the foyer and hallways and putting down ceramic tiling. Ripping it out seems such a slow process. It’s on a slab and I have to chisel away little by little, and sometimes when I try one way, it doesn’t work, and I have to rethink and try again. .

I started thinking about how my projects are so similar to my recovery. I have this mental image of what and who I want to be, and I have to work little by little, chiseling away at old habits and ways of thinking, and gradually transforming myself by adding new ways of viewing myself and the world around me. Sometimes I think I know what it is I want, but instead, my HP sends me a different idea, and I adjust to what it is and find it is beautiful. As I chip at the parquet, I feel like I am working very hard, but accomplishing very little. But then I pick up the bag of pieces I am discarding and it is quite heavy. That bag to me is like the changes in meÂ…seems so little when I look at it piece by piece, but then I realize how much weight I have taken off my shouldersÂ…the burdens I have released to my higher power.

Like my home, I am a work in progress. As long as I keep moving forward and trying new ways, the changes will be good. But even when I think I am “done,” I need maintenance to keep my life and my home a place of peace and serenity.

I view you all as my consultants – my “Home Depot guys” who share your tips and tricks and tell me not to worry when I mess up and help me cover the flaws with something that works. Thank you so much for helping me in my remodeling! :ghug

October 6

Amends without expectations

“Projections about actually making amends can be a major obstacle both in making the list and in becoming willing.”

The Eighth Step asks us to become willing to make amends to all persons we have harmed. As we approach this step, we may wonder what the outcome of our amends will be. Will we be forgiven? Relieved of any lingering guilt? Or will we be tarred and feathered by the persons weÂ’ve harmed?

Our tendency to seek forgiveness must be surrendered if we expect to receive the spiritual benefits of the Eighth and Ninth Steps. If we approach these steps expecting anything, weÂ’re likely to be very disappointed with the results. We want to ask ourselves if we are pinning our hopes on gaining the forgiveness of the person to whom we are making amends. Or maybe weÂ’re hoping weÂ’ll be excused from our debts by some sympathetic creditor moved to tears by our hard-luck story.

We need to be willing to make our amends regardless of the outcome. We can plan the amends, but we canÂ’t plan the results. Although we may not be granted a full pardon by everyone to whom we owe amends, we will learn to forgive ourselves. In the process, we will find that we no longer have to carry the burdens of the past.


Just for today: I will let go of any expectations I have on the people to whom I owe amends.



Copyright © 1991-2008 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

According to Ed, Dr. Bob would explain prayer by telling how the camels in a caravan would kneel down in the evening, and the men would unload their burdens. In the morning, they would kneel down again, and the men would put the burdens back on. “It's the same with prayer,” Dr. Bob said. “We get on our knees to unload at night. And in the morning when we get on our knees again, God gives us just the load we are able to carry for that day.”

September 19

Fellowship

“In NA, our joys are multiplied by sharing good days; our sorrows are lessened by sharing the bad. For the first time in our lives, we don’t have to experience anything alone.”

When we practice using the steps and the other tools of our program to work through our hardships, we become able to take pleasure in the joys of living clean. But our joys pass all too quickly if we donÂ’t share them with others, while hardships borne alone may be long in passing. In the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous, we often multiply our joys and divide our burdens by sharing them with one another.

We addicts experience pleasures in recovery that, sometimes, only another addict can appreciate. Fellow members understand when we tell them of the pride we take today in fulfilling commitments, the warmth we feel in mending damaged relationships, the relief we experience in not having to use drugs to make it through the day. When we share these experiences with recovering addicts and they respond with similar stories, our joy is multiplied. The same principle applies to the challenges we encounter as recovering addicts. By sharing our challenges and allowing other NA members to share their strength with us, our load is lightened.

The fellowship we have in Narcotics Anonymous is precious. Sharing together, we enhance the joys and diminish the burdens of life in recovery.


Just for today: I will share my joys and my burdens with other recovering addicts. I will also share in theirs. I am grateful for the strong bonds of fellowship in Narcotics Anonymous.



Copyright © 1991-2008 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved