My Name is Dawn....

Hot Air Balloon outside my office window this week, a symbol of the beauty and hot air it must take to fly. So here I am, pocket full of dreams, full of hot air (maybe gas), in the Akron Ohio area. The birthplace of sobriety and one friend helping another.. I believe we can fly, because every so often, the universe sends one of these beautiful good fortune reminders to inspire gratitude and appreciate how far we have come, and yet how much more we need to learn.

I have made friends across this world that I treasure today. August 5 is my fathers birthday and several decades ago, it became my sobriety date as well. It seems funny now that I got sober in Southern California and stayed sober through a few decades recovery from a violent assault, stayed sober in the casinos of Reno Nevada, kept a global IT pressure pot of a job, learned how to do business with strangers in a new state while moving cross country, and still working, survived a national tragedy, a devastating workforce layoff, 6 pregnancies, 2 children, a series of cross country moves, health issues, and a lifetime of experiences.

Life goes way better for me without alcohol. Oh I am still emotional, creative, energetic, and artsy.. I just happen to remember what happened better when I don't drink at all. Empathy has improved dramatically as well.

Early in sobriety I remember listening to the southern drawl of "Zig Ziglar" saying, "You can have and do and be anything in life you want... If you are just willing to help enough otha people get what they want."

While at the time, devastation and destructive behavior did not seem like something I could offer to constructively help others... But I have found that people would love me as I am, and speak the truth in a way of patience and experience that reaches through all darkness.

The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous became my hearts desire, and then the transformation would begin. That I could not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it.. That I might know serenity.... ahhh lovely. I truly can say that for the most part, I have come to know peace, and yet, I have much more service and good to deliver.

I believe that to whom much is given, much is also expected. I have always been fortunate to find life resources who believe in the service of being their best student and teacher. If you wonder why it is, I like the Helping Friends Career Network.. Well it is sort of my way of bringing that spirit of optimism that regardless of what we face, in life, it seems to work better when we are allowing good and love to happen in spite of the logical reasons why things seem tough.

RESOURCES:
How to Help an Alcoholic
Alcoholics Anonymous
Big Book Online
Al-Anon and Ala-Teen Support for Families of Alcoholics
Codependents Anonymous