10-23-80.

[yallerdawg]

My sobriety date.

37 years ago I entered a self-funded residential work/rehab program in San Antonio, TX, created and run by people just like me.

All I know is, "Keep coming back. It works!"

[HopeAgain]

1. Congratulations!

That's a lot of 24 hours.

[yallerdawg]

3. That's it!

Always "One day at a time."

Thank you!

[irisblue]

2. .

[yallerdawg]

5. Thank you!

It has never been "easy" for ANY of us, but I know it's been a whole lot better!

[MFM008]

4. Congrats

I know it's not easy.

[yallerdawg]

6. Kind of an 'itch you can't scratch' feeling nowadays.

We can never forget - it's a progressive disease.

"It's just a shot away."

[MFM008]

7. Good comparison.

Sometimes I smell it when it's nowhere around......

[yallerdawg]

8. Thank you.

Reminds me of how subtle and pervasive addiction is.

"Cunning and baffling."

[stuffmatters]

9. Congraduations, it's wonderfu!!

[yallerdawg]

10. Thank you!

It IS wonderful - and it beats the hell out of "death, insanity, or prison!"

[Rhiannon12866]

11. Happy Birthday!

That sure is a lot of 24 hours, but that's what works, just one day - or one hour - at a time. Thank you for the reminder - and the encouragement. I'm 4/30/09.

[yallerdawg]

12. Thank you!

"One day at a time!"

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Thank you!

That's when the light went on for me, when I realized all I had to do was make it through today - and I started putting time together. Congratulations and thank you for paying it forward. That's another thing that works, realizing you're not alone.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

14. Happy anniversary, 'ole Yeller!

You're almost exactly 10-years ahead of me (mine is 9/14/90).

Feels damn good, don't it?

[yallerdawg]

15. Thank you!

Over time, we develop new "thoughts, acts, character and habits."

It DOES feel good to not spend every moment craving what is bad for me - but never forgetting, either.

Congratulations on your many years! May you have many more!

[Break time]

16. Got me by a bit

We all know how tough it is, and what it takes to get some hours added to a day and days added to a week then weeks to months ant some years...

3/24/84

[yallerdawg]

17. "One day at a time."

We learn - often the hard way - that there is nothing we face in life that we can't make much, much worse.

Congratulations on your lengthy sobriety!

[Break time]

18. Back at ya n/t

[irisblue]

19. Boy is that so.

Can always make it much much worse.

[yallerdawg]

20. I white-knuckled it for years.

I remembered what alcohol and drugs did for me - and decided I had enough.

"Enough" - whatever it is - can be your bottom, your lowest point.

From your bottom, in that sense, it gets better - but there is always "something" lurking in our nature, which means it may never get easier.

It is very easy to slip into our old way of thinking - which we know is devastating.

One day at a time.