recovery at the capital 2010-MOVED TO FRIDAY MAY 21

LET"S GET THE WORD OUT EVERYBODY!!!! DATE MOVED TO FRIDAY MAY 21 DUE TO EXPECTED RAINS

3rd Annual
RECOVERY AT THE CAPITOL 2010


FRIDAY MAY 21 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
"FREE" booth for your Organization!

Surrounded by Recovery - Colorado (SBR) is a group of individuals in long-term recovery from substance abuse committed to spread the word that recovery is possible and does happen. As people in recovery we all have firsthand knowledge of how difficult the first step can be.
To encourage others and spread the word about recovery, SBR is hosting the third annual “Recovery at the Capitol 2010” event. On the West steps of the Colorado State Capital on Friday May, 21, 2010, between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., we will have speakers and informational booths from agencies within the state that provide services or support for those in recovery. Box lunches will also be provided by Cindy Lynn Café to the first 500 people that request ticket for the lunch

To embody the power of recovery, the demonstrators will surround the capital hand in hand. There will be an open space in the chain. This gap serves as a reminder that there are those who have died from substance abuse and to symbolize that there is an open door to recovery for anyone who still suffers.

If you are a recovery friendly company or a provider of recovery services, either support or treatment and would like a free booth, I need to hear from you ASAP! Space is filling up fast; first come first served on spaces available. The deadline to RSVP is May 12, 2010.

If you are a treatment center from out of State no worries you can have FREE space too, just give me a call @ 303-882-2172 and I will give you all the info you need to get your materials to the rally. This is a global issue and we don't want anyone to miss out as we hope to build chapters of SBR in every State with our focus on a yearly rally where we will find ourselves in Washington D.C. and March from the White House to the U.S. State Capital. For those that have attended the Colorado SBR events and felt the power of being hand in hand around our State Capital. Imagine surrounding the U.S. Capital. IT WILL HAPPEN!!

Thank you for all that you do for our community to promote and support recovery. Together we are the miracle. To obtain further information and reserve a space, please contact me at 303.882.2172 or go to www.surroundedbyrecovery.org . We look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Mark Wonder
Outreach Coordinator
P.O. BOX 16523
Denver, CO 80216
(303) 882-2172 Direct
mark.wonder@surroundedbyrecovery.org
www.surroundedbyrecovery.org

Anything worth having is worth working for!

shut your eyes

And when the worrying starts to hurt
and the world feels like graves of dirt
Just close your eyes until
you can imagine this place, yeah, our secret space at will

i feel as if i am moving into a new direction in my life. it's not as if i have changed course, just that i have changed sails more likely. i am still working, i am still pouringa href="http://www.advocatesforrecovery.org"> myself into that work, and i am still dedicated to doing the best job and living as much in the present as i am able.

however, the tools i use have shifted. as my vision of what's in front of me expands, so do i realize that many of the things i have brought with me from my past may no longer serve me. tools like self-deprecation, doubt, rigidity, and control issues that have been with me so long i can't remember how i acquired them. whenever they came on board, i am realizing that perhaps they no longer belong in my front line assembly as i manufacture my future.

i received a mention from a local organization named afr in the program for their 2009recovery rally this year for work in the hiv community. i was surprised and quite honored. i was scheduled to work a roshashana party that day, but stopped by the rally early to say hello. the board president coaxed me into speaking to the crowd for a minute, which i did, and i realized i had nothing prepared. this was embarrassing for me as i had no clear message to give and couldn't think on my feet to find one. here is where the new direction comes in. my prior modus operandi would be to mentally flog myself repeatedly for not doing better. this would have lasted several days to a week and would not have given me much cerebral tranquility. it's something i have grown very used to over the years and wouldn't have made an obvious dent in any of my armor, but inside i would have tearing at own structure ravenously. somehow, i realized the futility of this. i cannot explain it in any way other than divine intervention. i almost instantly decided that my normal way was moot and let it go. needless to say, the rest of the weekend has been calm. this is unusual in my bipolar mind. and this has been a gift.

this is one small example among several that life continues to change. i need these reassurances now and again to keep things fresh. i have no doubts i have not changed completely, but i have no proof that it's required either. i do know that a stillness and new peace has entered my heart. i am letting go of grudges and resentments almost effortlessly. far from perfection in this realm, i am noticing giant strides and a huge release of pressure in my soul. hopefully this translates into the interactions i have in my life.

on a real level, i now know that when things get really tough, and i feel snaky and squirrely, that there is a better place-one that doesn't have to land me with a huge hangover, and empty wallet, and a big pile of doodoo. someplace much better than that. thank heavens for this little nugget in my world.

today's sound choice is snow patrol's "shut your eyes". i have been listening to this again and have fallen in love all over again, too. the vid has the vid's creator's shot of holland in the winter. it snowed heavily in the mountains yesterday and i thought it apropos.

believe

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! Maya Angelou

today is the day for the recovery rally. i don't know what to expect really. i spoke at this rally 3 years ago, when i was first getting clean. i remember addressing a crowd of 200 or so and feeling as if i were whispering. this year, i don't believe i am speaking. i am soliciting volunteers to start a committee.

it's another late summer day outside at a festival. one of the last days this year to be celebrating outdoors. i will be celebrating recovery. and hopefully i will be mentoring healthy recovery for others who may need it.

do you know much about recovery? do you believe it happens? do you believe in life after meth? i know what my answer is.

somethin to talk about

september is national recovery month and all across the land, cities and townspeople will be gathering in small numbers to support the idea of recovery. for way too long, the problems of addiction, alcoholism, and the drug wars have hogged the spotlight in our hearts and minds.

all the while, the cool fresh breeze of recovery has been wafting in and out of our lives with hardly the bat of an eyelash. but now it seems appropriate (at least to me) that focus shifts from the problem to the solution, however that looks to you.

what i know is that recovery happens. people recover. lives are restored. addictions wane, folks return to work. laughter and smiles come back to broken households and families. bills get paid. mortgages get attended to. new homes get purchased. volunteerism flourishes.

i wholeheartedly encourage each and every one of you to look into advocating for recovery in your areas. work not only with other addicts, but work with those affected by our issues too. employers, hr departments, police departments, city officials.

recovery is good business.

here is the organization i am proud to be associated with here in denver.

Every year, towns, counties, and states around the country observe National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month) in September. This year, the 19th annual Recovery Month recognizes the impact that real people and real stories have on recovery, and celebrates those who have worked to advance the treatment and recovery landscape.

In 2008, we are highlighting the people for whom treatment and long-term recovery have given a renewed outlook on life. We invite you to take part in our theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Real People, Real Recovery," and spread the word that addiction is a medical illness and that treatment is effective and recovery is possible. By getting involved, you can help more people on a path of recovery to lead more fulfilling lives. read the rest of "recovery month toolkit" here