I once heard an old timer say, "It's great to have many years sober, but recovery is really about quality, not quantity." This really made me stop and think about what constitutes quality recovery. When we see someone who has the kind of recovery we want, what are the aspects of how that person lives life that makes their recovery attractive to us? I would love to hear what the rest of you think.

Hope everyone has a great week!

The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free. – Barauch Spinoza

   January 24 From isolation to connection Our disease isolated us...  Hostile, resentful, self-centered, and self-seeking, we cut ourselves off from the outside world. Basic Text, p. 4 = Addiction is an isolating disease, closing us off from society, family, and self.  We hid.  We lied.  We scorned the lives we saw others living, surely beyond our grasp.  Worst of all, we told ourselves there was nothing wrong with us, even though we knew we were desperately ill.  Our connection with the world, and with reality itself, was severed.  Our lives lost meaning, and we withdrew further and further from reality. The NA program is designed especially for people like us.  It helps reconnect us to the life we were meant to live, drawing us out of our isolation.  We stop lying to ourselves about our condition; we admit our powerlessness and the unmanageability of our lives.  We develop faith that our lives can improve, that recovery is possible, and that happiness is not permanently beyond our grasp.  We get honest; we stop hiding; we show up and tell the truth, no matter what.  And as we do, we establish the ties that connect our individual lives to the larger life around us. We addicts need not live lives of isolation.  The Twelve Steps can restore our connection to life and livingif we work them. = Just for today:  I am a part of the life around me.  I will practice my program to strengthen my connection to my world. Copyright 1991-2016 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Lookout folks this old boy's got 17 months today. You happen to been with me when I went through treatment you would have think that was not possible just like I did but I promise you if you do what they say go to a meeting everyday for about 90 days find you a home group at a sponsor and get your head together your life will start changing an amazing ways this old boy has a job possibility with my former employer that fired me before I went to treatment now that's cool God stuff Richard you think. I'm starting to love life again I'm starting to realize I don't have to be in control it's not my job. I was told after a meeting awhile back it was time for me to take God's clothes off they're too big for me so I was told to go home get on my knees and tell God that he could have his clothes back I'm going to wear mine now and that's how it's going to be. You know that sounds silly but guess what it's working I'm realizing things about me that I never thought possible you know life is good now guys hang in there. 17 months just unbelievable

@chase, congratulations on your 1 YEAR of continuous sobriety! You are a true inspiration that this program works when you work it and I am honored to call you one of my closest friends! Happy Birthday 🎂 AA and Happy Birthday 🎂 @chase!! Now go out and help somebody!!

Happy Wednesday!