Direction, Time, and Balance

It is April in Minnesota. Clocks have been moved one-hour forward, the sun is out, and it is all of 38 degrees. Yet on this clear, spring day, the addict has lost his sense of direction.



The road to recovery seems to lead nowhere to the addict. If recovery is the only goal, then life has little meaning. The addict has been told time and again that recovery must be his number one priority. Perhaps his only priority.

How difficult life becomes, then, when the addict slips. If recovery is all there is, then the addict will feel even greater shame upon failure to stay clean and sober. And if recovery is all there is, sobriety seems empty.

The addict knows that sobriety is only one goal among many. In his heart, the addict knows that life, family, work, and relationships all hold greater ultimate importance than sobriety. Yet all of these will suffer if the addict does not work for recovery. Still, recovery cannot be the only goal.

Addiction is a symptom--a symptom of a larger woundedness. Sobriety without healing of the woundedness will not last. Sobriety alone won't heal the addict and won't give the addict the direction and meaning he is looking for.



Still, the addict feels somewhat incapable of focusing on more than one goal at a time--especially when the goal is one which requires such a strong committment and such devotion from the addict. Is there time for the addict to focus on other goals? Recovery already takes two meetings a week, several daily phone calls, blogging, and prayer. With work and family committments, how much more time is there? Does the addict have time for personal hobbies, friendships, chores, and personal projects? Time never seems to be abundant.



Yet there must be balance. Life cannot be about recovery alone. Life must be about family, friends, work, and fun! Life must include time dedicated to the creator and giver of life! Life must include walks with a lover, laughs with a friend, hugs with children!

Oh, addict! Can you make room for all of these things? Would you have recovery and not have the others? Can you have the others and not have recovery?

The addict is a wounded soul. The addict is ill-equipeed to deal with Life's demands. Can the addict find direction, time, and balance?

Go, addict, go!