Rejoice

In the words of the Psalmist, "This is the day the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Psalms 118: v. 24

While not an overly religious blog, this seemed to fit today.  Attitude is everything, and Lord knows I have a lousy attitude much of the time. 

Each new day in recovery and healthy living is a blessing to me.  I'm lucky to be alive and sane at all with all the crazy stuff I've pulled. 

When I approach each new day with the attitude that it is a gift and that I can greet it with a joyful countenance, I have a much better time of it.  Certainly, there is plenty to be anxious about.  Everybody has problems, but approaching those problems remembering that each day is indeed a gift.  And more, that each day be enjoyed regardless of what problems it brings.  Today we talked about some of the difficulties we face on the farm.  But underlying that conversation was the knowledge that we will be guided through those difficulties.  The certainty that a loving and caring creator will see us through.  The knowledge that we will feel through our dilemmas and make the right decisions. 

When I dwell in the negative, I run the risk of a relapse in addiction or mental health.  I can get so spun out that using drugs and alcohol seems like a good alternative.  Courting death and destruction for the notion that chemical peace of mind seems like a viable option.  Luckily, sanity is a prayer, a meeting, or a phone call away.   Just having someone on the other end of the line say, "so you're going to risk all that is good and right in your life so that you can get high?"  is enough to get me centered again.  Because the pill and the bottle are empty only provide empty promises.

The opposite of fear is faith.  The antidote to that deadly despair is to rejoice.  Seizing life is the opposite of chasing death.  There are alternatives to active addiction and that is good news indeed.