Monday was one of those crazy Mondays that usually causes people to hate Mondays. Seemed like everything was going wrong. First this happened...then that happened...then...something else. And, everything that happened seemed to lead to another thing going sour. Yet, I tackled each little "big deal" one thing at a time, and each thing was not really a crisis in the end. By around 4:00 o'clock I thought my "Unlucky Streak" was over. But no....not yet. At the end of the day, my wife and I were returning home from the grocery store, when we could tell we were getting a flat tire -- just as we were coming up our street and pulling into the driveway. After getting the groceries into the house, I went out and looked at our flat tire. Just what I needed! A flat tire. But, after getting the tire changed, it dawned on me: I wasn't having bad luck. No! I was blessed! Really blessed! What better place to change a tire than right in my own driveway!!! It could've happened to my wife alone out on a busy highway in the dark, or in the rain. But, it didn't. I might've been so much different. But, it wasn't. Then I knew I had nothing to complain about. In fact, I knew I needed to thank God for taking such good care of us. I finally went to bed with gratitude in my heart last night. I know how I would've reacted to all this back in the past. And, I was really glad I didn't have to "go there". Tuesday was a day to feel how blessed and well taken care of I am. And....I was glad to be able to see the blessings in the midst of my string of difficulties. That, I believe, I can only attribute to this awesome 12 Step Program.
True discernment there. You are blessed indeed. And though you did not bestow the blessing on yourself - you did the work so you could see and appreciate it when it came. Good for you.
Mike,
I am amazed as well because I had the same kind of Monday you did and my sponsor told me "just think how you would have handled this six months ago. Remember it's progress not perfection."
I am glad that you and your wife are safe and sound after the flat tire incident. Reading that part of your post reminded me about the time not long after I left my family. My bf and I were on the highway and one of the tires blew out on our vehicle when we were in the passing lane and passing a semi truck. The way we drank he was probably drunk or hung over on that day. He managed to get the car to the median strip. It could have been a really bad turnout and I wondered if God was sending us both a warning for "living in sin". We had several flat tires after that within a very short time--all different tires. None were as scarey as the one we had on the highway. I always thought to myself that I needed to clean up my act as that was just too bizarre.
BTY
Amazing how that works isn't it Mike ... I've been through many such moments in recovery ... I had those moments where I thought 'what else can go wrong' and then it would hit me, this isn't so bad after all, it sure as heck could have been a whole lot worse ... ... ... and then I'm grateful for being sober to deal with whatever happens, instead of trying to drink away the problems ... which never worked, by the way ...
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
You're right, Pappy. It's great to be able to deal with, and handle problems correctly and calmly in sobriety. I used to take a problem and end up making it worse by my childish reactions, or just not deal with it at all....which was totally immature. They don't tell you this at the beginning, but somewhere in the Steps, you get a brand new pair of "Big Boy Pants". All you gotta do is...put 'em on.
