The Cliff
Finding sobriety in any addiction is something that is being sought by more people every day. There many people wanting desperately to get better. People say, "Why can't it just go away!" "Why do I keep falling!?" "It's like I am two different people...One side of me hates this, yet I keep coming back to it." The statements can go on and on. The most powerful experience an addict can have is arriving at the point of SURRENDER. Once the concept of surrender has been ingrained in ones heart and life, healing CAN and WILL occur. Many are looking for a quick fix or something easy for recovery...it just doesn't work that way. Don't get it wrong... THERE IS hope in gaining sobriety and many do get better. For these reasons here is a short example called "THE CLIFF."
Imagine life's experiences and choices taking you to the bottom of a tall cliff. You MUST climb this cliff, there is no way around it. You say, "I can climb that. I can do it on my own...I am strong enough." You try and try but keep falling. It hurts when you fall. Your pain often hurts others around you at times. This pain from falling from the cliff begins to effect all aspects of your life. There is a huge city at the base of the cliff. Many onlooker say, "Just live your life without climbing, that's what we have done." Others say, "Climbing the cliff is too hard. It is normal to just keep falling off of it. Just give up." There have been many days you have given in but you keep coming back, wanting to climb the cliff. YOU KNOW DEEP INSIDE YOU MUST CLIMB IT! You tell yourself you are strong and can do it on your own! You must climb the cliff! "I don't need help! I just need to climb harder!" For some people they fall off the cliff so many times they may become numb to the pain. Finally one day, bloodied and broken you exclaim, "After all this time I still have not climbed the cliff. No matter how hard I try, I keep falling. I NEED HELP! PLEASE HELP ME."
At that moment someone comes and says,
"Here are tools. Rope, spikes, climbing boots, a path, pulleys, pitons, belays. Use the tools every day. I will teach you how to climb. Climbing this cliff will be hard at times. Some days will be easy, others will be difficult. You may slip at times but if you follow what I taught, you will notice your ropes will hold and you can continue moving upward. There will be times where you may get overconfident but this is dangerous as well. It does get easier after time because of the new effective habits you gain. Some have become complacent after time on the cliff and then ignore these tools, thinking they are beyond the need of the tools now...they always fall. Stay confident but humble. Always respect the cliff. Never give up. Use the tools every day for the rest of your life. After time, you will realize that the cliff has simply become a part of life, no longer the daunting obstacle that left you bloodied and broken."
This humble acceptance of the process of recovery is what Surrender is. This story confirms the path we are on and opens our eyes to those of us who are still debating starting the path of recovery. REMEMBER SURRENDER. It can't be done alone.