My sister and I were sitting at the dinner table last night with my grandniece, her grandchild. My sister noticed a new bracelet on my grandniece and asked her what the writing on it was. She responded that it was inscribed with the words “Expect a miracle”.
I turned to her and asked, “Do you really expect a miracle?”
“Yes,” she responded. Now this is a young woman of 21 and a senior in college.
“So, do I”, I smiled.
I couldn’t help but think of this last night and this morning. “Expect a miracle.” So far, that expectation has already been met. What happened back many years ago could only be described as a miracle. I was a hopeless and helpless drunk and suddenly that was all turned around overnight. Literally.
In desperation I prayed one night and woke up the next morning free of the thought of a drink for the first time in twenty years. The compulsion and craving were gone. I didn’t want to drink.
What I didn’t know was that a few blocks away, an old woman had gathered a few of her neighbors together, who didn’t know me, and had them make a novena.for me to get sober.
I didn’t find that out until several months later. But the end of that period of prayers by those good women, I was sober.
What were those words most of us have heard through our growing up years? Ask and you shall receive. Makes me think. Those women asked in fatih and expected a miracle. They got one in me. Who would have thought of that up to a few days before, when I was wandering the streets out of my mind with drink?
Everyday I get up and haven’t taken a drink is another miracle. Everytime I go to a meeting and see all those sober people sitting around, I see a room full of miracles. I’ve come to expect them to be there everyday. But it’s no less a wonder each day that passes with all of us free from the bondage of alcohol.
The fact is that I really do expect a miracle each day, beyond the blessings I’ve already received. I’m filled with gratitude for all the things I’ve been given. A happy and contented life, filled with a peace within, A sense of serenity I’ve never known before. The joy of living from being exposed to so many alcoholics in recovery. Freedom from so many of those things which used to plague my life. A sense of a Higher Power influencing my daily journey on this path. So many friends I have met along the way and those who have stayed with me to console me and support me through the years. The gift of hope, along with faith and love. But hope is there from the beginning. And the free gift of pereseverance. It has been there everyday. Beyond my expectations. I keep coming back. Isn’t that amazing?
And then there’s the gift of a day at a time. Through all this time I’ve only had to handle anythng presented to me just for this day. What a precious gift today is. A miracle I didn’t expect. I never really expected any of this, which tells me that the miracle continues. Why wouldn’t I expect a miracle? And that miracle is sobriety itself.
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