it is almost the time for my imagination and recovery to soar to a new height. it is almost the time for the roundup is very near- just 2 weeks away. i am getting excited and i want to get outta town for a coupla days, too. the roundup is a celebration of recovery and the 12 step process which has brought some amazing relief and blessings to my life. there are some things i find fascinating about the whole concept.
firstly, ours is a glbt roundup, which really warms my heart inside. addiction and substance abuse are fairly commonplace in our community, so it is challenging to stay connected with community when one leaves substance use and the other behind without slipping right back into old behaviors. drugs and alcohol are so ingrained in our culture that even our pride events (our own holy days as it were) are sponsored by alcohol distributors. so the opportunity to engage in community and retain recovery is like an oasis in the sahara.
secondly, it is amazingly heartwarming to see so many people who have left the darkness and isolation of addiction behind, and have ventured out into the daylight and managed to relight their fires. so many stories, and so very many storytellers. i think we have about 110 persons registered as of today. i assume that will grow. and i am hoping that this becomes a holiday for me. the roundup, i mean. a time to reflect and to look ahead. and a time to smile quietly and also jump up and down.
part of the beauty of this organization has been the fundraisers throughout the year that are held to raise money for the roundup. we have had dances, dinners, no-talent shows, and picnics. these have enhanced and nurtured the individual fellowships as we have gone along. and the roundup's attendance at fundraisers alone has grown by about 25 or 50 percent this last year. people do really want to be around other people in a safe and sober environment.
i have been blessed to sit on the board of this organization for a year now. i am from a different fellowship than many of the other board members and i have a different take on things. and my counterparts have been nothing but kind, open minded, and loving, and i think that the differing vantage points has added flavor to the whole mix. part of my agenda (yes virginia, there is an agenda) is to give recovery some much needed positive visibility in my community. i don't think there is anything shameful or distasteful about recovery. (now, denial is another thing entirely) lol.
we are looking for new board members and new committee members for the next year (and beyond that). this is the most fun way i have come up with to do service work. (after all, i am still planning parties) and i believe service work is the foundation for my recovery program. hope to see you in winter park august 3-5. if you need to share a room, there will be that opportunity. check the website for details and for specifics on the weekend program. the speakers are usually a highlight. it's always amazing to know that people are sober for over 15 and 20 years. i say come out to the roundup... give it a shot(no pun intended).... maybe you'll get a fire lit under your program and your perspective of recovery just might grow. recovery is worth celebrating!
now this song is definitely a retread... and it makes me giggle and smile inside....and chris m- i hope this makes you smile and giggle, too. doesn't the lulu addition make it sweeter? walk on through the night....there's a new day on the other side....
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