By Rocklan M
I went to Walmart yesterday with my wife. We were both busily checking off our shopping list, rushing to make last-minute preparations for a forgotten holiday party. When we got to the checkout line, it hit me that I hadn't even had so much as a passing sexual thought about any of the people, packaging, or advertising in the store. I took a moment to celebrate and appreciate the difference a year of sobriety has made in my life.
As I sit and think about it now, though, I realize something. Yes, I've made progress, and yes I've seen real growth. Nothing can take that away from me. However, the biggest reason I didn't think about anything sexual during that supermarket trip is that I was distracted. I was too busy and in too much of a hurry to even think about acting out.
The problem is, staying busy and distracted can help me stay sober, but it won't help me recover. Distractions keep me from acting out, but they also keep me from seeing the root causes of my next potential relapse. If I'm not seeing the triggers, I'm not learning how to avoid them or how to respond to them. I'm not advancing my recovery, I'm just maintaining my sobriety.
It's when I slow down that I discover the growth I have left to do. When the busyness stops, recovery starts. As I come to the end of this busy holiday season, I am thankful for the growth I've experienced and looking forward to the growth I've yet to do.
Rocklan M, a grateful believer in Jesus Christ, striving for sexual and moral purity.
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