Monday, December 15, 2008

Happy Birthday to me


Today is my 57th birthday.  I am grateful to be alive and healthy, which is a result of being sober.  I have been sober 42% of my 57 years.  In only 7 more years, I will have been sober one half of my life... One day at a time of course.

I don't want to wish my life away.  I spent so many years doing that.  Waiting for this or for that.  Thinking all would be well after some event or another.  Thinking that the people in my life at that time were just stand-ins for the really great people who would be in my life later.  I would hate to tell you how old I was when I realized that this indeed is the real deal.  This is it.  All I get it what I get.  

So I will just go gleefully into work and make the best of this day.  I am truly grateful to be the person I am today.  I am so grateful for the love of God who gave me the chance to live fully.  

"I am reminded here of a rabbinical tale recorded by Elie Wiesel.  He tells of Jehel, a little boy, who comes running into the room of his grandfather, the famous Rabbi Baruch.  Big tears are rolling down his cheeks.  And he cries, 'My friend has totally given up on me.  He is very unfair and very mean to me.'  'Well, could you explain this a little more?' asks the master.  'Okay' responds the little boy.  'We were playing  hide and seek.  I was hiding so well that he could not find me.  But then he simply gave up and went home.  Isn't that mean?'  The most exciting hiding place has lost its excitement because the other stops playing.  The master caresses the boy's face.  He himself now has tears in his eyes.  And he says, 'Yes this is not nice.  But look, it is the same way with God.  He is in hiding, and we do not seek him.  Just imagine!  God is hiding, and we people do not even look for him.'  In this little story a Christian is able to find the key to the ancient mystery of Christmas.  God is in hiding.  He waits for his creation to set out toward him, he waits for a new and willing Yes to come about, for love to arise as a new reality out of his creation.  He waits for man."  --  Benedictus, Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI, p. 378 (December 15)

21 comments:

dAAve said...

Does that 42% include the years BEFORE you began drinking?

Mary Christine said...

24/57 = 42%
57 total years divided by 24 sober years.
So the before-I-started-drinking years go into the "not-sober" years.

Dharma Kelleher said...

Happy Birthday, MC!

Pammie said...

Math people make me feel inferior.
Happy Birthday sweet Mary!
On your 30th birthday I was giving birth....I would rather have been at your party, but oh well.

Mary Christine said...

On my 30th birthday, I was in the hospital trying to recover from surgery for a ruptured appendix. They thought I was going to die. I don't think you would have enjoyed that party Pammie.

Scott W said...

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

I didn't know today was your day, but I marked my new date book for next year.

I hope your day is as special as you are!

Lou said...

The quote reminds me of a sermon I heard. The pastor said God is right beside us, it is WE who refuse to see him. I think the sentiment is the same.

Have a lovely Birthday.

Syd said...

Hope that you have a great birthday. I'm sure that this day will be a great one for you. Lord knows, you deserve all the good stuff every day.

Trailboss said...

Happy Birthday my friend! I hope you have a great day.

Shannon said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Banana Girl said...

Happy Birthday MC! J

Unknown said...

Happy Happy Birthday! 57 years old and sober today...what a gift and some great experiences to share. I hope today holds a few wonderful surprises for you to remind you how loved you are.

Namaste and have a piece of fat-free, lo-cal, sugar-free cake for me!

Anonymous said...

happy birthday, Mary

Hope said...

Happy Birthday.
..he waits for a new and willing Yes to come about..
That spoke to me this morning.
God bless you.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Mary Christine! I hope it was a blessed day for you.

I want to tell you how much your blog has helped me try and live soberly every day. You make living sober sound interesting and fun (and even drama thrown in, in a few entries, but it doesn't last long).

When I found your blog, it made me feel glad I had stopped drinking, and that life could be interesting, rich and productive without alcohol. I thought it was going to be boring for me.

Even the way you have religion in your life. I wouldn't do it exactly as you have, but I can see how spirituality or religion is needed in a sober person's life.

Thank you, Mary Christine! I am richer as a person for reading you.

Willa

Let Go, Let God said...

Happy Birthday...I hope it's a great one for you.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Mary, and thanks for being here, you are a blessing.

Mary Christine said...

Thank you everyone.

Thank you Willa. You are nearing 3 years. Imagine 3 years without a drink! Sometimes when I don't hear from you for a while I worry about you. Thank you for continuing to visit. God bless you.

God bless you all.

ultraposer said...

Happy B-day

Heads up I got flamed by a troll. He left 15 anti AA comments on my blog

cheers

Kathy Lynne said...

Happy 57 years and 2 day birthday MC!

Laura said...

I hope you had an extra delightful Birthday!