Reflections

 The blank page is daunting; I've been staring at it for a while. I've started two posts so far today & deleted them both. I probably should have saved them as drafts so I could adapt them. I plan to continue this blog at least monthly, if not more frequently. 

The other day, I shared a post on Facebook which stated, "I think if March 2019 me and March 2026 me sat in a room, they wouldn't believe each other."  I have no doubt that's true, because while I still recognize 2019 me, 2026 me is an entirely new construct. 

In March of 2019, I was about 6 weeks sober, and diligently working the steps (for the first time) with my new sponsor. Members of my family weren't talking to me, with good reason. I was also about 3 months into a new career in a brand new field for me. In short, I was a mess. 

March 2026 me has a lot of empathy and even respect for that guy, because from that humble beginning, a new life has bloomed. I have had many blessings and heartbreaks over the course of these last seven years; my life has changed in ways minuscule & profound.

One of the main changes in my life is consistency & routine. For the most part, my life is mundane. I go to work, I go to the gym three days a week, I go to meetings, and I go home. 

There have been triumphs and tragedies to get to today and I've been able to be present through them all. Others can count on me to be there. Do I wish certain things had turned out differently? Of course, I don't think I'd be human if I didn't. But I can only control my reaction to outside forces.

Some of the blessings sound like brags, so I won't talk about those. But I've been able to navigate so many situations that would have baffled March 2019 me. My familial rifts have been repaired. In 2020 at a high point of the Pandemic, I was reunited with a son I never thought I would meet again (and his wife & children, my grandchildren!) My step daughter asked me to officially adopt her in 2024. I have also been able to be there for my wife, and another daughter & son when they had troubled times. 

March 2026 me is established in the new career from 2019, and in my recovery community. Life isn't always easy, but it's light years different from where I was in March 2019. 

I am truly grateful. 

Keep on keepin' on, friends. 

P.S. As of today, I'm on book 20 of 2026.