by Rev. Leo Booth

Rev. Leo Booth
Unity minister, published author and conference speaker

This month I will be celebrating thirty three years in recovery. What a journey it has been. Truly a trip of a lifetime. And regardless of what you may hear in certain Malibu commercials on CNN, I do not believe in a “cure”, rather I do affirm a spiritual recovery on a daily basis. I’ve seen too many friends ‘go out’ after years of recovery, and they have clearly said that the disease process progressed so that when they did relapse it was much worse, to believe in any cure. I’m happy living with it. I’m happy knowing that if I don’t pick up the first drink, then I won’t get drunk. It makes sense to me that the disease is ‘waiting’ and so as I’m taking preventive care like calling a sponsor and going to meetings, it will continue to wait...forever! This is my spiritual program.

My reticent nature makes me less enthusiastic about celebrating my natal birthday (also it tells people how old I really am), later in August. However, I do believe birthdays are important; it’s good for people at support meetings to see that some people have longevity in recovery. The birthday tells people that it can be done. Maybe the relapser finds hope. And a glorious future awaits those who are willing to take this disease seriously. The celebration of birthdays is a little ritual that keeps fun and achievement alive in any meeting.

Oh yes, I kept my sobriety birthday on the 4th of July; thirty three years. Let freedom reign!

As I mentioned about my natal birthday, yes, just like you, I’m getting older. (We needn’t discuss how old. A gentleman has a right to a few secrets...even in recovery!) Do I feel my age? Sometimes. Do I think I look my age? Sometimes. Let’s face it, I’ve earned every wrinkle that I manifest. Am I enjoying my age? Absolutely! And the reason is my understanding of spirituality; for me it is being a positive and creative human being.

And I also believe that the two birthdays I’m writing about are spiritually connected; I feel the adventure in life because of my adventure in recovery. My recovery feeds my imagination and this helps me age gracefully.

My health is not 100% but it would be in the toilet had I continued to drink alcoholically. Recovery is a key component in how we age. We look better when we are not drunk. Also, we feel like living. And as I’ve said above, it becomes an adventure.

As I said, my recovery birthday connects with my natal birthday to create. Many of you know I’m planning a spiritual journey and we are off to Egypt in September. Twelve days, including a cruise down the Nile, for a wonderful price. Previous years have included Thailand, Vietnam, China, India and I am so looking forward to it. An adventure in recovery and in life. I don’t know about you but I think that life is for living; it’s not to be talked about in a prison of our making we call home. I want to see the Pyramids, ride a camel, barter in the Souk, experience the Nile, see and meet old and new fellow travelers. I want to live.

Whether it is a natal or recovery birthday, it is important that we take the time to celebrate. I think a word that helps define spirituality is celebration. I want to celebrate my recovery, celebrate life, celebrate the creativity of Gods world, celebrate, if only for twelve days, a new world awaits for me and other fellow travelers.