A long time ago, an old friend in here was diagnosed and told they were dying. When they told their son he reacted. That’s when they said something I have never forgotten. “It is what it is.”
Over time I have gone back to that statement, because it is the truth. Very often things come into our lives and those words are exactly the reality of whatever is going on. Facing the truth is not always easy, but that’s where the spiritual life comes into practice within.
When my old sponsor told me that I didn’t know that I didn’t know, I only thought I did, he hit the nail on the head. He opened the door for me by telling me the truth. Facing the truth is not always easy, but like my friend said, it is what it is.
I had to face the fact that I was an alcoholic and needed help to stop drinking. And what was that truth? I had to surrender to the fact I was powerless and then I needed to ask for help. It was then that I prayed to the God of my understanding to help me stop drinking and living the life I was living and be willing to do whatever was asked of me. And the drink went away.
I didn’t know that I had finally admitted it is what it is. The truth. But that’s what started to free me of the power alcohol had over me. Like I said, it opened the door to go on and begin to stay sober a day at a time. Over time, as I grew in this program, the truth came into my consciousness. I was finally aware of what was wrong with me and what the answer was.
Getting honest and facing the truth hasn’t always been easy. It grew over time in here, as a result of being willing to put this program into action in my life. Not perfect to say the least. The closest I have come to perfection was that First Step. My surrender was complete. The rest of this program has been difficult at times and I’ve never been able to do it even close to what happened in that First Step. But enough to keep on keeping on.
That all came to mind again in answering someone, who needed the truth. I had to pretty much tell them what my sponsor said to me, about my being so wrapped up in myself that I was living a lie. I hoped it would do the same for them, as it did for me. Face and accept the truth. Like I was thinking, not always easy to say the least.
Anyway it cleared the way for me once again by thinking of that statement. And the truth is that I need to never ever take a drink of alcohol. I have to stop each day and remind myself that I’m here to stay sober a day at a time. And then be willing to carry that message to another alcoholic, who needs it. Not always by talk, but maybe by example. Makes me grateful.