January 2
After the Applause
A sobriety anniversary can be a lovely occasion. People clap, somebody remembers when we arrived, and for a moment the distance traveled feels real. Then we go home and find the ordinary disagreement, unpaid bill, or neglected conversation still waiting. The date has changed something important. It has not settled everything.
That need not spoil the celebration. Sobriety gives us a chance to meet those things with help we once refused or did not know existed. Years without a drink matter, and so does the way we speak to someone this evening. When we let the anniversary include both gratitude and unfinished business, we can enjoy it without asking it to certify our spiritual condition. We have been given another year in which to learn. There may be something quite hopeful about still having things to learn.
How can I honor my progress while remaining available to change?
The celebration includes a life still being lived.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Step Twelve.