Wednesday

July 23, 2014

g -NAts

Too Happy?

Not long after I spoke to Bob, Wendy called.  She said she was doing well, and so was Barb.  Barb was dating Wendy's dad, and Wendy was thrilled.

"It's the happiest I've seen him since my mom died," she told me.  "I can't believe how things have fallen into place."

"Do you think some of his joy comes from you being clean and sober?" I asked.  I meant it as a rhetorical question, but Wendy sounded surprised.

"I guess so.  I mean, he told me he was proud of me, but I just thought that was what a dad was supposed to say.  I'm thirty-two – it's not like I'm his little girl and I brought home a good report card."

"I have a daughter," I said.  "She will always be my little girl, and I'll always be proud of whatever she accomplishes.  I'll bet your dad is more proud of you now than he was when you made good grades."

I heard her crying quietly.  She said, "I'm so happy, but now I'm scared. What if I'm getting too happy?"

I laughed. "As long as you're not overconfident about your recovery, there's no such thing as too happy."

Today I will enjoy whatever happiness comes my way,

remembering that my happiness depends on my sobriety.

 Freebies

This week's freebie is the Kindle version of Hauling it to the Curb: Cleaning up your life in early recovery, available at  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001K8MG0S

 

 

To read Kindle books on a PC or Mac, you can download a free app at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311

 

 

Upcoming

Burnout: Clinical, Ethical, & Supervisory Issues
September 12, 2014 at Greenbriar-Robinson
9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m
$30 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This three hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• CRCs  by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification # 11938191652 and 11938191653 (one hour Ethics portion)
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

Other Blogs

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6683004-michaela

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Laughing, smiling  75 years from now

Olsen thought he should have been sad as he rode up the elevator to Sammy's lab.  He  admired Sammy's work, and he liked Sammy.  He knew Ubutu was not a man to be trifled with.  Sammy's career might be over.  Try as he might, Olsen couldn't wipe the smile from his face.

Ubutu, a man Olsen greatly respected, had put his trust in Sammy.  Ubutu was likely to feel betrayed and disappointed. Olsen thought he should have been angry with Sammy for betraying Ubutu, but he wasn't.

Olsen couldn't stop smiling because he had done it.  He had gotten engaged.  For reasons he couldn't yet fathom, all the fear of getting married had vanished.  He couldn't hold the joy inside. He felt as if he'd bought a winning lottery ticket on the way to a funeral.

Today I will be grateful for joy that can't be repressed.