A very long time ago a supervisor told me that I needed to take the word "every, out of the 12th step!" I had just lost my first client to suicide. It was a traumatic event for me as I had all the predictable questions and feelings that a new counselor might have! It did take me 3 days of processing his (COLD HEARTED COMMENT) for it to finally register with me. He was not a mean supervisor, he felt badly about the loss but he understood that I had no responsibility in it. "EVERY" alcoholic does not get sober, many die! He wanted me to understand and accept that fact of life and death! Relapse is a return to the disease after a period of recovery. Every alcoholic does not get and stay sober. Good health, be blessed! Mr. Denny

Sponsors are valuable assets in the life of a recovering addict. The fact that we are here, working hard to help any number of people everyday provides us with a measure of gratitude! But for the grace of God, there go I! This AA adage has been recited to me and by me (1000's of times) it seems! When I witness the suffering caused by denial, aggression, drunken behavior and terrified families I can not help but recite that phrase! That is why I refuse to use today!
(or ever again!!! One day at a time! Ha) The person who broke parole is on the run. Meth will do all kinds of horrible things, booze also! My parole officer friends,(I have a lot of them,)they all agree they would rather have a pot user than a drunk or speed freak! They are much more unpredictable. Pot heads are, well you all know that drill! Pass the chips please! all 5 bags and leave me some beer will ya? Gluttons! The 3 stooges and cartoons? We are not the sharpest knife in the drawer! Ha 22 years of bliss, life is good!Be blessed and blog on! Mr. Denny

Today all my guys checked in. Not everyday do they call or stop by the house but today they did! I examine each, sober today? Working? Family? Health? Wants or warrants? (They always chuckle over that one!) Gratitude is the topic we arrive at provided there are no affirmative answers to the previous questions. When we spend a little of our day"counting our blessings" I believe our perspective changes and becomes more beneficial to our recovery. Hateful and grateful can not exist in the same offering of communication. We learn to be grateful only after we are told we should be! New recovering addicts are not good at appropriate behavior. Re-learning life on life's terms is hard to begin with! We do need coaching and encouragement and correction and accountability. Then our hope is regained, optimism is rekindled and ambition returns! Look out world, here we come! www.acureforaddiction.com Be blessed and blog on! Mr. Denny

....as we do when we write our blog, others have the privilege of responding in kind. I received an opposing point of view from a reader tonight. When we feel like we are misunderstood, we may get "twisted" over it. The truth is that we are all children of God and we have a right to be here. If we were all the same, our world would be a dull, dull place to live. We would all have all the answers and there would be no questions. Thank heavens no other person has to live in my shoes. We all have a tough time of it and we are here to try to ease the load for the next person who checks in. Thank each of you for making the world an interesting place to live, sober!Be blessed and blog on! Mr. Denny FYI "www.acureforaddiction.com"

The twelve steps are reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services (A.A.W.S.)Permission to reprint the twelve steps does not mean that A.A.W.S. has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication, or that A.A.W.S. necessarily agrees with the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism only-use of the twelve steps in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after A.A, but which address other problems, or in any other non AA context, does not imply otherwise. Required from A.A.W.S. in New York. All copyright privilege belongs to A.A.W.S.
Sincerely, Mr. Denny