“Recovery does not happen all at once. It is a process, not an event.”

– Life with Hope, third edition, page 5

Recovery means a daily reprieve from the insanity and emotional unmanageability of active addiction. It is based on my spiritual condition in this moment. I can go anywhere and face any trigger if I am in a fit spiritual condition. On the other hand, if my spiritual condition is weak, I can relapse without being exposed to any triggers. Step One promises I will relapse if I do not continue to maintain a spiritual program. If I am not moving forward in my recovery and step work, then I am moving backward toward relapse. There is no such thing as staying still in the process of recovery. Reading this daily reflection book moves me forward each day, away from the negative consequences of marijuana use.

All that occurs in life is simply part of the process. I can choose to label it good or bad. Speaking with my fellows helps me to see the only thing that really matters: the next right step. If I can just focus on doing the next right thing in front of me, then the path forward will unravel in front of me. If I veer off this path, it can become hard to see the next right thing to do. In that case, I will simply practice self-forgiveness. Through self-forgiveness, the fog of guilt and shame is lifted. I can see the next right step in front of me.

Final thought: Today, I will continue to walk the path of recovery and accept my duty to do the next right thing in front of me.