@Dustysprungfield Good luck at the family event! Glad u have a sober plan for afterwards 
@JazzyS Hope u begin to feel better friend 
@StacyAnn Awe girl, u have sooo much on ur plate. I really feel for u. Really praying for a break for you. It sounds like u need it. Taking care of everyone else while trying to stay sober and take care of ur needs, is tough work. Can be very overwhelming. Sending you relaxation, calmness, and peace right now.
@Sunny11 hapoy heavenly birthday to ur dear mother 
Hope ur doing okay today.
@Marit be gentle with urself friend 
This sounds like such a difficult time for u. Sending u big virtual hugs right now 
@MrFantastik what a beautiful post! Im so glad ur kids got to see u there They mustve been thrilled!!
@Mno What a beautiful display Menno for ur sweet kitty. Glad ur exerting urself alittle more today. Hope it helps
I understand but seriously life is full of ups and downs. Remaining positive all the time isnt healthy. Lol we all need times to just express/vent. You can not catch a break!! I would say the universe is testing you- why I am not sure. But I would say you are very strong individual even if you dont feel that way- I am here to remind you that you are and most people would crumble. You are not!
@acromouse stay hydrated!! I hope you have a great time on vacation!
@StacyAnn congrats on the job offer! Yes I can relate to the challenges of taking care of older parents. It shows how much you care and love your family- I cant imagine how overwhelming it is to handle it all at once. Just remember to take care of yourself too/set some healthy boundaries when mom and dad become too much. I am sure you miss your boyfriend very much, sending healing vibes to him. And your welcome! Hang in there hun. I have a sign that says adulting would not recommend. 
I agree!! Why is this?! Lol I hope you also get a swim in- enjoy it! Sending you love as well 
Checking in day 11. Finalizing everything with work and getting patients situated before I leave. Everything is packed but the misc items. It not too hot today and was able to sneak in a quick 20 minute walk outside. We leave tonight! So excited. Ready to have a beautiful week at the beach and see some family.
Day 37 sober
Going well for me, but Iām worried about my girlfriendās mental health right now. Just heard this phone call with her friend while she is here right now, she seems to be stressed out about her job loss, weight loss troubles, not attending church lately, job hunting, etc. But at the same time, she seems to be isolating and choosing not to talk about the issues to me because she ādoesnāt want me to have to deal with her baggage.ā
Obviously though I am down to help her, listen to her, and hopefully give helpful suggestions for her. Iām not really sure how to handle situations where someone I love is struggling but unwilling to talk about it, so I donāt wanna pressure her to communicate about her issues, so I just sent her this text while she is on her phone call right now to let her know Iām here to listen and help:
āPookie btw my bad for eavesdropping on your phone call a bit, but just wanted to let you know: im here for you if you ever wanna talk about your problems and if u ever want my suggestions. Please donāt isolate yourself, thats what they say in SMART Recovery anyway! I love you so much pookie, I want you to find happiness and Im here to support ā
@john_connor1337 imo that was a great message!! You validated her feelings, let her know you are here to support her and also left the space for her to come to you when she ready. I hope the text is well received. One quick thing i add she might not want suggestions/help she might just want to express her feelings- (I am fixer so it in my nature to fix. Sometimes people dont want advice or suggestions they just need a listening ear/heart. Best advice I give is Listen to understand not to respond) In that case I just say I am here to listen to help better understand (and then validate her feelings). Also sometimes it good to approach it by saying would you like my opinion/advice or do you just need me to listen? That might be better lead. But sometimes girlfriends just need to vent to their bestie. It a girl thing 
Uh oh! Just swallowed my first alcohol in 705 days. I thought it was a can of pink soda in my dadās fridge but it was hard cider!! I took a sip and swallowed only part of it before I realized it was alcohol, then spit out the rest that was in my mouth. I do not consider this a relapse and will not reset my timer but just wanted to pop in here about it. Accidents happen. PS it was VERY nasty!! 
Lol you spit it out and didnāt drink further that all that matters
Thanks 
Yeah I talked to her in person after her phone call, I basically let her know Iām here for her and care about her and such.
I did give a few unsolicited suggestions by accident because Iām very much a fixer type of person who looks for solutions more than empathy when Im struggling. But once I realized I was doing that, I just gave empathy on her issues and told her Iām here for her and such. Iām trying not to overwhelm her repeating the same things over and over again, so Iām just giving her space but she knows Iām here if she ever needs me to help as best as I can
Checking in Day 42. Not much to say this morning. Hope everyone has a blessed and peaceful Friday.
ODAAT
Keep on Keepinā on
Congrats on 37 days. Sorry to hear about your gf and her troubles but I do think you handled the situated right by letting her know that youāre thereāsometimes that reminder is needed. Hope gets better soon. Stay strong my guy 
It shows how much you care and love her. I am sure she appreciate you and your love as well as kindness. And i totally understand- it took me awhile to not fix lol not easy thing to do when it in our nature. If you want my opinion, I think you handled it with the utmost empathy.
Happy Friday! Stay strong and Keep on keepin on
Good morning!! 1279 days is amazing. & yes your agenda for today is definitely enough lol.
Hope your day goes as planned and peaceful
Keep on keepin on
180 days. 6 months. Had a headache most of today. Having some worries with my son; heās 16. So im doing an NA meeting .. havenāt done one for months but Iām hoping to hear some shares of experience and strength .
Congrats on 29 days @Amelie stay strong
@Madds congrats on 252 days Madeline 
@acromouse congrats on all of your sobriety numbers, Aga! keep on keepinā on
@Nordique way to go on 1888 days sober. Hope you have a good day as well my friend. 
@Sunny11 ODAAT congrats on day 3! Keep on pushing 
@Hazy congrats on 6 monthsāHope all is well with your son and that the NA meeting gives you what you need in this time.
@SystematicSupernova dont give up, continue pushing through, we all know you can. I hope all turns around very soon for youācongrats on Day 12
Thanks so much friend! Hope ur day is fantastic as well
Congratulations on 6 months!! Hope ur able to hear the strength and advice u need today from ur meeting. Hope ur son is ok.
Thanks and no it didnāt 
ā¦ doesnāt resonate. I left after the readings 
Thanks. Heās actually alright. A normal 16 year old except itās me reacting to his life choices because of my life and I donāt think I should be reacting like I am, and I feel like a nagging mum, and his dad (ex) triggers me to act like some kind of firm controlling parent which I know Im not and my son knows Im notā¦ 
I will search my self internally rather than externally looking for answers 
It is easier to live with your conscience when you have a lazy mind. For a long time, I refused to admit that my daily alcohol consumption would eventually create a distance between me and the world that would be difficult to eliminate. For it was insidiously that silence crept into my home and mercilessly spread my secret defeat. This terrible truth voraciously gnawed away at my happy moments like a slow and relentless imprisonment. And for good reason, one does not enter the motionless time of the unsaid in a predictable way.
Alcohol kept its promises as the only sustenance for my suffering. To suffer properly, I had to slow down my mind as much as possible. Alcohol brought me numbness and oblivion. In the end, my brainpower seemed strictly sufficient when I needed to leave my house. I ruminated on gloomy thoughts, powerless to improve my condition. I was so absorbed in my inner world that I was blind to reality. How frustrating it was to be unable to share anything intimate! Yes, I lived in shame, not daring to be myself.
After a few episodes without drinking a single drop of ethanol, tonight I am convinced that existence is not the sum of days and years, but of intense moments when the pulse of life beats wildly. The rest doesnāt matter.
Sitting outside, I have just finished my book. The crickets are singing, the wasps are finally asleep. In the distance, a concert and festive cries echo off the cliff walls. I am happy, satisfied. Relieved, too. Nothing tragic. No bad habits. No suffering. No trouble. Just curiosity and the wish that tomorrow would come already.
Have a good, sober evening, everyone.
Beautiful. Truly a poetic way to summarize the purpose of life.