ODAAT

I have often heard old timers say, “one day at a time”. At first I didn’t understand. I was struggling so hard to string together even a few days of sobriety. I thought that when I reached 30 days, I had arrived. I just didn’t understand what it meant to have sobriety, just for today.

Twice, I reached 1-year anniversaries. I was so excited to get my 1-year chip. Then 3 days after my first “birthday”, I lost my sobriety. I had been so focused on what I had achieved that I forgot that it is my God who keeps me sober and that sobriety is only for today. The second time that it happened was 3 days before my anniversary. All of my attention was on what I was going to be able to share with my group about having reached one year. I forgot that I am only promised what I need for today, not for tomorrow and certainly not for the next 3 days.

Now I understand what it means to only have today. I choose to not live in the past or in the future. I live in the present. And the little acronym ODAAT (One Day At A Time) helps me to remember that.