I hope wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you right where you are.
I love the game of basketball. My passion for the game is contagious, and I have become fascinated by both the sport and the life lessons it teaches.
I have watched great players compete in their final game. I often wonder what it was like for them to know they were stepping onto the court for the last time. Many of them had been playing since they were children. They loved the game. Yet they knew that chapter of their life was coming to an end. Talent and hard work may delay that day, but eventually it comes for everyone.
What do you think it is like for your favorite player to play their last game? The emotions must be powerful. Even so, it is still just a game. There are things in life that matter even more.
Recovery understands our weakness. It knows we need to be nourished with spiritual food. The healing that Recovery brings to those who embrace it with an open heart is truly remarkable.
As people in Recovery, let us celebrate healing as if it were our first, last, and only experience.
Let me ask you a question. If you could attend only one Recovery meeting, participate in only one Recovery event, or receive the gift of healing just one more time, how satisfied would you be with the way you showed up and participated?
Here is my challenge for us today. Each time we take part in Recovery, let us approach it as if it were our first Recovery experience, our last Recovery experience, and our only Recovery experience.
Imagine that you could participate in Recovery just one more time. How would you prepare? What intentions would you bring with you? Who would you pray for if you knew you would never see them again in this life?
I do not know if any of us will ever be fully recovered. But I do know that one of the best ways to prepare for that day is to approach each Recovery experience as if it were our first, our last, and our only one.
Preparedness is the practice of being ready. In Recovery, it means being ready to heal, ready to work the 12 Steps, and ready to care for our mental health and recovery journey each day.
Remember, Recovery is happening right now, in this moment.