Recently I have noticed a trend that many of the 12-Step program recovery "sayings" have been showing up in some rather unexpected situations - television and radio commercials! Two recent examples include:
Radio - "Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?" I wasn't sure what to expect as an answer here, but probably it was going to be for a treatment center or a new medication right? NOPE! It was for a new bed!
In our program this saying carries a lot of weight because as addicted gamblers we push ourselves both mentally and physically to the brink of insanity (and beyond) and exhaustion. For most of us, until we reach the point this saying is describing we will not likely achieve success in abstinence.
TV - On a commercial for a stop smoking patch the pretty girl wearing it says "taking it One Day At A Time". She goes on to say how the patch helps her do that.
Of course this saying is really one of the basic tenets that recovering compulsive gamblers and other addict use. It is often far too difficult in the beginning especially, to comprehend that I may never be able to gamble again, or that the problems will ever be solved that we have created. We push and push this concept that there is nothing we can do about yesterday, and we have no idea what will happen tomorrow. So, just concentrate on today! Eventually those "todays" can add up to a lot!
Anyway, I have always said the 12-Steps of recovery are really just a good "design for living" and almost anyone, addict or not, can benefit from many of them. They basically promote a life of honesty, self inspection, and kindness to others. Not a bad way to live?
Maybe the "outside" world is catching on?
Or maybe there are just so many people in 12-step programs now it is the only way we know how to communicate!!
I am off to trim my Orange tree. No news yet today. I am sure I will have some to post later.
John
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