In July or August 1994 I attended a sober anniversary meeting. I didn't know what to expect. I recently overheard a comment from someone who said “Sobriety anniversary? Who would ever want to celebrate being sober?” I asked my sponsor at the time, why do people celebrate every year as they get sober ? He said, wait and you will find out. I always want to celebrate my sober anniversary. To me it is more important than my umbilical cord or biological birthday. As far as I am concerned it is the single most accomplishment that I am most happy with. I am not saying that graduating different levels of education are not important. These accomplishments are also proud moments. For me my biological/birth and my sober birth are in the same month- JUNE. June for the longest time kept me frozen. It was the month that I performed CPR on my mother thirty years ago. It held me in guilt for a long time. June is also the month my parents were wed. Unfortunately they never celebrated their twenty five anniversary together, but now in a better place without suffering they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. I truly miss both of them ! It was difficult for my father to understand why anyone would destroy themselves with an addiction. But it happens . I am not unique. Anyone who is not in a twelve step program does not understand the importance of another year of sobriety.
.
As an addict in recovery, I can speak for many people that sobriety anniversaries are extremely important. They are major accomplishments! I cannot express the utter amazement I experience every passing year of continued sobriety. As my anniversary month was approaching I began to reflect on the past eighteen years. I am proud of myself for the work I have done. It was NOT just stopping the addicted substance. It was working the twelve steps of a recovery program. It has been utilizing all the steps in my daily life. I have many friends for whom I initially started the program with. I was 2 years sober when I met Patrick. We are truly best friends. My best friend will be celebrating twenty years in the Fall.
Sobriety birthdays are an event that is nothing like a regular birthday: it's not something we dread as we get older, but rather it's another year of freedom from addiction. Another 365 days of rebuilding our lives and going from complete self-loathing to find meaning and purpose. I have found meaning in my life and the life around me. I am peace. I have a purpose. Last night, one minute after midnight a card was by my side of the bed. In it was a anniversary card with a blue 18th (XVIII ) coin. It was from Rick. I am a grateful man
For me happiness could be the first spring rain. Happiness is spending time doing nothing with a loved one. Happiness is saving the bee population and using its hive products to heal individuals. Propolis is one of those bee products that have been used for million of years. There have always been bees and there have always been beekeepers. Propolis is a sticky resin which seeps from the buds of certain trees. The bees gather propolis, and it is sometimes called " bee glue" The worker bees ( which are always females) take the resinous material and add salivary secretions and wax flakes to it and use the be propolis is two ways. First, they use the bee propolis to reinforce their wooden hives boxes, and second it is used to protect the hive from bacterial and viral infections. Every part of the hive which is made from bees are used. This includes the bee propolis, the bee wax, the bee pollen, the royal jelly, and course the honey.
Propolis consists of 55% resinous compounds and balsams, 30% beeswax, 10% aromatic oils and 5% bee pollen. Propolis is not as simple as it sounds on paper. It is a complex structure which contains potent terpenes and benzoic, caffeic, cinnamic and phenol acids. It is very high in flavinoids which as humans we find very helpful as an anti oxidant. Most plants which contains medicines contain flavinoids.
Save the bees !
Until tomorrow...
No comments:
Post a Comment